HISTORY
Of the mod Remarkable
Peflilential Diftempers
That have appeared in Europe
for Three Hundred Years la ft pa ft ;
WITH
What proved Successful or Hurtful
in their CURE.
TOGETHER
With the Method of Preventi on and Cur e
of the PLAGUE.
Founded upon the Experience of thofe who were
Practitioners when it raged.
Laid down in fuch a Manner, that the Generality of
People may be able to manage themfelves.
By R. S COOKES M. D.
The Sweating-Sicknefs*****4tf;w mofi probably of a Foreign
Original, and no other than a Plague abated in its Violence
ly the mild Temperament of our Climate .
Mead's Short Difcourfe.
The Second Edition Corre&ed, with a Postscript.
LONDON:
Printed for A. Corbet, at the Old Hand and Pen> over
againft the Chapel in Ruffe l-Court, near Covent-Garden ;
and J. Robe rts, near the Oxford- At ms in JYdvwkhr
Lane* M.dcc.xxii.
(Price One Shilling.)
;)U T'^U
/
i
T O
/
Dr„ BAT hT.
/ \ ■ : ■
Sir,
FTER fome Deliberation
with myfelf, to whom I
fhould make a Prefent of
thefe Sheets, both my In¬
clination and Judgment fix¬
ed upon you: For at the
fame Time, that you have greater Abili¬
ties than others to judge of this Terr
formance , you have Candour and Good-
Nature enough to pardon its Faults.
You need not be acquainted, that Things
of this Nature cannot be too Publick, when
the Jpprehenflons and Fears of the Na-^
tion run fo high ; and confidering that if
they fhould come to pafs, the Generality
might probably have no other Ajjiftance
than fuch as this : and if this fhall con¬
tribute any thing towards the Wellfare
A 2 of
4, The De d i c a t i o n.
of my Fellow-Creatures., I lhall have my
End, and I know that you will not be
difpleafed with any thing that looks like
an Office of Humanity, who are yourfelf
fo much concerned for the Good of Man-
hind.
I would not have you to think, Sir,
that I am going to fay any thing that
looks like a common Dedication ; for if I
did, your Generofity, 'Prudence, Learn¬
ing and good Senfe, would. afford Matter
enough to work upon : But I know that you
• would defpife whatever looks like Flattery ;
fuch mean Arts could never be agreeable
to a Soul like Yours.
v<
What therefore is defign’d for a Lejli-
mony of my Refpef!, and not for a Cata¬
logue of your Praifes ; I doubt not but
you will have Goodnefs enough to pardop,
from,
SIR,
Your real Admirer, and
very Humble Servant
R. Brooks,
I/O EVER writes with .
any tolerable Succefs upon
the Plague, muft found
his Opinions upon the Ob-
fervations and Experience
of his TredeceJJbrs ; for
they alone are able to inform us of the
different Fortune of a various Er office j
and the fever al Eryals that have been
made to weaken the Force of fo formidable
an Enemy ■ to Mankind \
If this be true , as undoubtedly it is ? the-
Reader will not be dijpleajed to find that
he has a good deal of Labour faved in
turning over Variety of Books , and that
he may behold with one View' Qbferva-
B tions
( <5 )
tions which before were [centered here azzd
there .
In tr (inflating what I here prefent you 5
tho* I have made confiderable Contratlionsy
I have omitted no material Circtmftance
that would either explain the Nature of
the Difeafe , or the Manner of its Cure ;
and if my Authors had bee?i more parti¬
cular I might have been fo too .
What I have / aid in the Second I* art, I
have Authority for ; and I believe as good
as any \ Perfon elfe can have .
In this Second Edition I have taken
care to correct fome Overfights that were
committed for want of due Attention ;
and to make it as generally ufeful aslcazz,
have added a probable Account of the Mazz-
ner of its Trogrefs , together with fome
farther Remarks upon the Method ^/Pre¬
vention and Cure.
I would not have the Reader mifiake
this for an entire Hiftory of Peftilentiai
Diftempers, but rather of the different
forts of them ; tho* by the by, I fhall not be
pofitive that any two that have yet ap¬
peared have been in all re [pedis the fame »
let Authors have diftinguijhed between
fome kinds of thefe IJifeafes and the
Tlague itfelf, I have kept to that Difi mo¬
tion, without apprehending any ill Cozz-
fequences from iu " ' ••
PART
PART I
A Aiflory of the moB Re¬
markable Peflilential Dif-
temperSj fife.
HE Plague is a Subject of
fo great Importance to Man¬
kind, that whoever flncerely
endeavours to weaken its Force
or flop its Progrefs , is fuffi-
ciently excufed in the Attempt ^
tho' he fliould not meet with
any extraordinary Succefs.
However fpecious or conclufive the Re a roll¬
ings of fome may be, yet they fatisfy us no
farther than they have Experience for, their
Foundation * becaufe whatever is not built up¬
on that, muft needs be uncertain and preca¬
rious. To fearch after the hidden Cauies of
Things, to give piobable Gueffes in abftrufe
Matters, may, indeed, anfwer the Ends of
Oftentation and Vain-glory , and pleafe fome cu~
rious and inquifitive Minds but the Fears
B 2 and
and the Suffering? of Mankind call for fome-
thing more : While a mod dreadful Enemy of
Mankind rages, and imperioufly threatens the
Death of Thoufands, there is no time left for
empty Speculations and idle Amufements $ all
Aids are to be fummoifd, all Methods try 3d,
that if pofll-ble one way or other this De~
ftroyer of Mankind may he vanquifh d.
However, no one Method , how promiling
foever, can be fecure enough wherewith to
truft the Welfare of Millions of People, un-
lefs that one Method were infallibly certain,
which it is not poffible any fhould be that
have not been try’d : Beiides, it is not f effi¬
cient, as fome People feem to imagine, to call
a Deftrudlive Diftemper by the name of the
Plague , and then to give the Remedies for that
Diftemper in general. We cannot be fure
that Di (tempers which to very difeerning Eyes
feem to have the fame Symptoms, require the
fame Method of Cure $ much lefs ought we to
adhere to one uniform Way of Practice, where
theDifeafe puts on Variety of Shapes : And
if we may believe Dr. Mead *, the fame Dif¬
temper that is call'd the Plague in France , may
put on another Drefs, and in England become
the Sweating-Sickm fs.
It does indeed feem to be very probable,
that the fame Diftemper may put on different
Appearances, or in other words, that the
fame Caufe may produce various Effects ^ for
the fame reafon, that an equal Quantity of the
fame Medicine has different Operations upon
different Bodies.
To be well guarded therefore, we fhould be
able to know and overcome our Enemy under
* See his Short Difcourfe, p. 6*
all
all Difguifes } at leaft under all thofe that we
have had any Account he has yet appeared :
This I take to be the moft cautious and pru^
dent Way of Proceeding ^ for let us be at¬
tack'd on which fide we will, we fhall in fome
meafure be prepared to ward off the Blows,
and defend ourfelves againft the Affault.
When any new Diftemper appears, Phyji™
dans are commonly at a lofs what to do, or
how to proceed, till a fufficient number of
Experiments have been try'd, which may ena¬
ble them to do more than guefs at a Method
of Cure. But if they find any old Diforder
to which they may compare the new, th o' not
alike in every Particular, they with good
reafon conclude, that what has prevail'd a-
gainft that, is molt likely to prevail againft
this.
I think then it is very plain we cannot be
too well armed againft Contagious Dijhmpers
of any fort, much lefs againft the moft de-
ftruttive • and if I can give any tolerable
HISTORY of them, the Prefer natives a-
gainft them, and the Cure of thofe that were
infefted, I fhall not contribute the leaft to¬
ward fo valuable a Purpofe.
And what makes fuch an Attempt more ne~
ceffary, is, that nothing is more common than
to give the fame Names to Difeafes very un¬
like Thus Crato affirms, that after 30 Years
diligent Obfervation, the Hungaric Difeafe
never return’d with the fame Symptoms that
it had before, as Dol&m * reports. Sennertus
t makes it the Effence of a Plague to be Con¬
tagious and Mortal 5 fo that if it be attended
with a Fever , Raving , Watching 7 Head-Acb ,
* Dolan Encyelop, p* 538^ | DeNatur, Peft. cap,. 1.
pro-
( 10 )
profound Sleep , Ulcers of the Mouth , ^iiinfy,
Pleurify , Vomiting, Loojenefs , Jaundice, Buboes,
Carbuncles and Spots of various kinds, yet he
comprehends them under the general Name
of the Plague: for, fays he, it is not th e@hiin-
fy that fuffocates, the Fever that kills, &c.
but the Plague.
Tk. Witts Hn his Defcription of the Plague
brings in Buboes and Carbuncles, and yet with¬
out doubt that was properly a Plague which
Heurnius t fpeaks of, which happened in the
Year 1445, when People dropt down dead
without fo much as a Fever , or any other
Symptom.
The life of a Name, indeed, I take to be
a matter of no great moment, provided it does
not lead us into Miftakes, and if we do not
attempt the Management of all Diftempers of
the fame Name after the fame Manner. Eut
before I profecute my main Deftgn, I fhall
defcribe what I mean by a Plague or Pestilen¬
tial Dijlemper , and feme of its more ufual
Symptoms. , I
ue The Plague then is an Epidemical Diftemper,
Contagious , and very fatal to Mankind * it is
often attended with Buboes , Carbuncles , Spots ,
Wheals and Pujlnlts .
Some Authors think that a Plague may exift
without being Epidemical or common, and
that there are Epidemical Diftempers that are
not contagious ; and the Cough and Catarrh
mention’d by j| Foreftus is brought as an In-
ftance, which in the Year 15S0 fpread
throughout Europe in fix Weeks time, and of
which fcarce one in a thoufand died, tho3
whole Families were ill of if at once. How-
* Willis de Pefte. f Heurmi Inft. Med. p.200.
I! Foreftus, Lib. 6 . Qbfer. 3.
ever
( II )
ever juft the latter Obfervation may be, the
former feems too trifling to infift upon.
Buboes are Swellings of the Glands ocra- Buboes
fioned by the fharp Morbific Matter that is what‘
thrown upon them ; which fometimes increa-
fing, fuppurates and turns into Pus. Thefe
moft commonly appear in the Groin, fome¬
times behind the Ears, and in the Neck.
A Carbuncle is a fiery Swelling encompafled Carbuncles
with the moft fharp and burning Puftules, in- what-
fefting the Sick with intolerable Pain; if
breaks out in any Place without diftinftion,
does not fuppurate or turn into P«s, but creep¬
ing and enlarging its Bounds, throws out the
eaten corrupted Fleih, which leaves a hollow
Ulcer behind it as if burnt with an fifcba-
rotic .
relates of an Accident which
happened in the time of the Plague in the
Lower Palatinate , is pretty remarkable : « A
c certain Maid, fays he, had a Carbuncle on
c the End of her Ring-Finger, and whether
4 becaufe Ihe was delirious, or through Ve-
4 hemence of the Pain, I know not, but Ihe
4 took a common Kitchen-Knife, and cut the
4 End of her Finger off ^ yet for all that Ihe
4 died the next da y, with her Finger and
4 Hand mortify hi/
The Spots , Wheals and puftules are of the Spots,
fame fort of Swellings with thofe before i^Wheais,
fcribed, and are only more malignant for be- PuftMles>
ing lefsj for in thefe the Poifon being more^ aU
difperfed, is more deadly and fatal than if it
was thrown upon one Place.
Some have taken a great deal of pains to
inform us when we are toexped that we fhall
f Dolasi Encyclop, p. 540®
be
,>
\
■ ' . ( 11 ).
be vifited with a Peflilential Diftemper , but
with very little certainty • efpecially if what
Dr. Mead * fays be true, That fuch Diftem-
pers are not of Englifl Growth : but that, per¬
haps, we may confider hereafter.
Diagnofih Biagnofiic Signs indeed may be made better
Signs ufe of, for thefe ferve to fhew when Perfons
whau are afflidted with this dreadful Diftemper, and
how we may know that they are fo ^ which
being timely difeovered, any Help that can
be got, is likely to prove moft beneficial.
The chief .of which, as they are obferved by
Authors of moft Note, are as follow.
T hePulfe fmall, weak, quick and unequal ^
a Pain at the Mouth of the Stomach , fome-
tirnes great and infatiable Thirjl, Loathing of
Food and all kind of Victuals • Vomiting * Shi¬
vering and Trembling * Wearinefs and Heaviness
of the Body ^ Pains in the Head $ continual
Waking and R -ving ^ fometimes extreme Hea¬
viness and Sleepinefs $ the Urine often like
that of a healthy Perfon the Heat not ex-
traordinary^ Redrtefs of the Eyes^ Buboes in
feveral Parts of the Body, or Carbnneles, or
livid and black Spots.
Thefe are the Signs ufually taken notice of,
but do not agree with all Peftilential Diftem-
pers, as you will find hereafter, but only to
a Species of them. I Ihall therefore begin
my Account of thefe Diftempers with that re-
Sweating- markable Difeafe call d the 8 went i vg -Sick nej's :
Sicknefs , This was firft obferved in the Year 14 86,
i486. and becaufe it was fuppofed to be a new Dif-
temper, and to take its Rife in England , it is
call'd by Authors Sudor Anglic ns and Pefth Su~
dorifica Anglica it continued in England almoft
* See pag . 5. of his Short Difcourfe.
conftantly
( rj )
conftantly for 40 Years together, and tho’ the
Cold of the Winter feerrfid to drive it away
fometimes, yet it would return in warmer
Weather with frefh Vigour. Itdeftroy d fuch
vaft Numbers of People before there was a
certain Remedy found out, that Foreigners
hardiy believed there were fo many in the
whole Ifland. From England in 1525: it took 1525.
its Progrefs, and in five Years time march’d
through Lower Germany^ the Low Countries ,
Holland , Zeland , Brabant t Flanders , Denmark ,
Norway and France .
So mercilefs was this Diftemper, that when
it firft entered a City, it would feize five or
fix hundred in a day, and fcarce fix recover'd.
Thofe that were taken with it, had nei- Symptoms
ther Buboes , Carbuncles , nor Spots , but were
exceifively weak and faint; they had TJnea-
finefs at the Heart, Pain in the Head, thick,
fwift unequal Fulfe, and great Papitation of
the Heart, which would la it with fome that
recovered two or three Years, and did not
leave others all their Life long ; they were
under a continual and plentiful Sweat , which
did not end till the Diiiemper ceafed, which
was in twenty four hours time. Thofe which
did not farther their Sweating, nor ufed Cor¬
dials, and who, impatient of Heat , expofed
themfelves to the cold Ai y all died fuddenly
in the fpace of twenty four Hours : But after
the Cure came to be known, and they forth
fied the Sick with Cordials , and promoted
their Sweating , not fo many perifhed.
The Caufe of this Diftemper was generally Caujh
allowed to be fome Poifovous ml ty of the
Air. Yet fome afcribed it to the malignant
Influences of the Stars, among ft whom was
Sennertvs ; but more efpecially Camden , who
C does
*55 o.
“Diet to he
nfed.
Tills.
( 14 )
does not at all doubt but it owed its Rife to
an Opposition of Saturn and Mars from the
Zodiacal Constellations Scorpio and laurus7
as you ma)^ fee more at large in his Britannia .
But whatever the Caufe was, the Effects
were fometimes foon over ^ for it ivas obser¬
ved by Tyengins to enter Amjlerdam with a
mifty Air on the 20th of September 1529 after
Noon, and after a ftay of five days entirely
\ranifhed, and returned no more.
In the Year iyyo, England was again vi Si¬
ted with this Strange Diitemper*, it was faid
to deftroy a great number of People in the
Prime of their Age, and what is very remark¬
able that our Hiflorians relate, it a fleeted none
but the EngliJI) in foreign Countries. Our
Ambajfador at that time at Paris confulted
three famous Physicians y Fernelius , Holler ius and
Sylvius , for a Prefervative againft it.
They advifed him to drink moderately of
ftrong Liquors, and to eat fuch things as were
eafy of Digeftion, as Small Birds , Partridges 7
Pullets , Pheajants , young Hares , Conics and Kid 5
and thefe not boiled, but roafted. That his
Body might be kept as free from Crudities as
poffible, they order'd him to take two or
three of the following Pills once or twice a
Week, an Hour before any thing was to be
eaten.
Take of the choiceft Myrrh two Drams of
the belt Aloes Stalf an Ounce *, Saffron
half a Scruple-, of the Leaves of the true,
and of the Roots of falfe Dittany of
the Roots of Betony and Tormentil , of the
true Bole Ar?noniacy of the Sealed Earth of
Lemnos , of each half a Dram. With new
Oil of fweet Almonds and Syrup of Lemons
' - make
( 15 )
make a Mafs, to be wrapped in Leather
and kept for Ufe.
They alfo commended the frequent Ufe of
candied Citron Peel, Conferve of Rofes, Con¬
feree of Barrage-Flowers, Conferve of SplecJi*
wort. Scabious , Succory , and Vormentil Root .
And alfo prefcribed die following Mixture,
of which the Quantity of a Hazle-Nut was to
be taken now and then, two Hours before
Breakfaft.
Take of the Conferve of Rofes , Borrcge dMaxtuvc*
and Buglofs Flowers, candied Citron, of
each an Ounce • of old Venice-Treacle
three Drams ^ of Bole Armoniac , Sealed
Earth of Lemnos , of each two Drams :
make a Mixture.
After the taking of a little of which, two
Ounces of difhill d Wine was to be drank.
Whether or no any Preservative was fuffi-*
cient to keep away the Diftemper, Authors
arefilentj but as to the * Cure, not fo : the Cure*
whole Secret of which confifted in covering
the Sick in Bed, and not buffering the leaft
Breath of Air to come near them. They
would not buffer the Sick to leave his Bed
upon the mod urgent Occafion, no nor fo
much as to move themfelves ^ nor could this
be obtain'd by any Prayers or Intreaties of
the Sick. When the Sick was very hot, and
wanted to drink, they gave him fome of the
following Decoction, which refrefh'd his Spi¬
rits, and promoted the Sweating,
/ M
Take of the Flowers of white Water -Lillies Becoff'm,
and Violets , of each half a Handful ^ ot
* Vida Fracaftorius lib. 2. cap. 5, de Morb. Gontag.
C 2 Car*
1
Fume.
!
( )
Car dims Beve&iSus, Pimpernel, Bor rage ^
glofs , ftonecl Raijins ; of each a Pugil of
figs n° ten *, Lentils husked, wafhed Lack ,
of each five Drams * of Tragacanth three
Drams, Zclo /y, Dittany, To nnentil -Roots,
boil in a fufficient Quantity of Water of
white Water "Lillies and Bn glofs, and make
a Liquor to be kept for the Ufe above-
mention'd.
They would alio fometimes give the Sick,
Syrup of Citrons , Rome granites, or Sorrel , by
way of Refrefhment. They alfo made ufe of
convenient Smells, and held them to the Nofe
of the Sick, or did as follows.
1 < ■ • • - . V
Take Rofe-Wcter three Ounces * Vinegar an
Ounce • Cloves, yellow Saunders , of each
half a Dram : mix and evaporate upon a
flow Fire in the Chamber.
When the Sick has flept long and plentifully
enough, he is to be uncovered by little and
little, and at laft the Sweat is to be carefully
wiped offi
It will not be improper to take notice, that
thofe that were yet well would earneftly in¬
treat each other not to fufrer fuch of them that
fhould fall fick to leave their Teds before the
due 'Fime upon any account whatever ^ and
yet thefe fame Perfons, while ill, would beg
and pray with the moft moving Arguments
they could think of, to be at liberty^, flrug-
gling, and crying out in the moil pitiful man-*
ner : which violent Emotions the Phyficians
did not endeavour to pacify, imagining it
haftned their Recovery. When the Sick did
not fiveat freeljy they endeavour'd to pro¬
mote it with proper Medicines.
Schen*
o
( '7 )
Schcnckius * relates an odd fort of a Story
of one that would not fubmit to the ufual Me^
thods of Cure, and in order to avoid it run
away, and hid himfelf in an Oven from
whence the Bread was newly drawn •, which
giving him a. pretty plentiful Sweat, heat
length crept out, with the ufual Signs of Re¬
covery.
I fliall now go back to that terrible Pejli-P eft Hence
lence which raged in the Year 1548, in the witb In -
Reign of Edward theThi-d, in which Year
rained in England from Midjummer till Chrifl- °iJK^s
mas. It was not only violent in our own 154s/
Country, but made dreadful havock all over 3
the World, fcarcely leaving the tenth part of
Mankind alive. Where it began, and what
was then imagined to be the Caufe of it, we
have elegantly enough defcribed by Fracaflo-
rlus in his Syphilis.
Bis centum fiuxere Anvi quum fiamnca Marte
Lumina Saturno trifii immifcente per ovine s
Aurora Populos, per qua rigat JEquora Ganges
Infolita exarjit Febris , qua pe&ore anhelo
Sanguincum Sputum exagitans, miferabileVifu ,
Quart a Luce frequens fato perdebat acerbo.
Which, for the benefit of my Englijb Reader^
X fhall thus translate ;
A Hundred Tears twice told have took their flight
Since Saturn mix'd with Mars his hated Light
Who with their baleful Influence did inf eft 7
The rich and potent Nations of the Ea It :
Hence rag'd a dreadful Peft, before unknown.
Which feiz’d the Lungs, and made the Breaft’hx
Throne ^
* Schenckius ds Feb. Pe.ft, Obf. it 8*
Four
( l's )
Four Days it tyranniz'd with dreadful Sway ,
When Life in purple Streams broke out , and fled
away.
It began in the Eaftern Parts of the Worlds
and paffed on uninterruptedly to all the Coun¬
tries in the Weft • fo universal, fo great was
the Deftru&ion, that it's probable no Age
ever faw the like : Thofe indeed, fpoke of
by Galen , Thucydides and Avenzoar , are terri¬
ble enough in themfelves contider d ^ but,
when we compare them with this, our Admi¬
ration ceafes.
The Contagion was fo certain, that all friend¬
ly Offices were forgot among Mankind, the
deareft Friends and Relations deferting each
other and it was fomething rare, if the Dead,
happened to have Survivors that would bury
them : and there were very few, if any, that
were feiz’d, that efcaped.
The Symp- When this Diftemper entered any Place,
toms . for the fir ft two Months it was accompanied
with a Fever , Difficulty, of Breathing , and Spit¬
ting of Blood . The Difficulty of Breathing
was fo great, that the Sick were obliged al¬
ways to be in a fitting Pofture, and could
fcarce fwallow any thing of any kind $ they
were exceeding reftlefs, their Cheeks red and
fiery : at firft the}' coughed violently, but
brought up no Blood, afterwards a little, and
then a confiderable Quantity 5 in three days
time they died. But after the aforefaid two
Months, b elides the foregoing Symptoms, they
had Spots and Abfcejfesj and died all in five
days time.
In procefs of time, when the Fury of the
Dileafe began to abate, the Lungs were af¬
fected no longer, but the morbifick Matter
was
( l9 )
was thrown upon the Groin , Armpits , and be¬
hind the Ears, and was not then ft mortal.
It lafted five Years in fome Places, in Eng¬
land nine^ there were fifty thoufand buried in 5o>ocohu~
one Year in the Chart er-fjaitje Churchyard at rre^ m one
London . This was fucceeded with Murrain off™’/* **
Cattel, and Scarcity of all forts of Provifions. °n °n*
* Schenckius tells us, the Conjunction of the
Planets, fpoken of before, happened on the
28th Da\r of March 1345, in the Sign Leoy
too long before toperfuade many it was owing
to that.
But with more Probability are thofe of this
kind, which happened in Germany in the
Years 155:7 and 1564, aferibed to the diffe- 1557.
rent Conftitutions of the Air. The fir ft of
which fucceeded a dry Autumn, followed by
cold Northern Winds ; this was attended with
a violent Cough, Difficulty of Breathing , and ob- Symptoms.
tufe Pains in the Side : on the third Day, or
before, their Spittle was bloody, on the fifth
fixth, feventh, or at fartheft the eighth, they
died. 1
Thofe who were let llooa on the fr ft or fe- Cure,
coni Day, recover'd on the fourth or fifth y but
if Blood-letting was negledled till the fourth or
fifth Dajr, it did no Service +.
That which fell out in 1565, was preceded 15 <57.
with a fharp Froft, which was more remifs in
January , when the Diftempcr began, which
was fuppofed to fill the Air with grofs Va¬
pours, the Caufe of this Diftemper. Thofe
who expofed themfelves to the Air after Sun -
fet, were fooneft feiz’d with it^ and, on the
contrary, the Mid-day was lefs dangerous
and good Fires beneficial
* DeFeb. Peft. Obf.127. t Dodonaei Obf. Med. c, zi»
** Schenckius de Feb. Peft, Obfer. 128.
Sen-
Symptoms* i
Cure*
1510.
Symptoms .
*557*
Symptoms .
( 10 )
* Sennertiis Informs us, that Meteors of va¬
rious kinds were feen in the Air all the time
the Difeafe lafted, as well as a little before.
Thofe who were feized with this, had a Fe¬
ver 7 Co ugh , Ho irfenefs , Difficulty of Breathing,
and obtufe Pains in the Side. The Cure, as
before, chiefly depended upon Blood-letting *,
which, if it was feafonable, to wit, the firft
or fecondDay, feldom failed. The Bodies of
feveral that died were opened, and there was
found a true Peripneumonia , or Inflammation
of the Lungs. *
I have one thing remarkable more to add
from Sennertus , That the Women who had
this Diftemper in the time of Me njlr uationy
had intolerable Pains in the Bade and almoft
all of them died.
Thefe Diftemper s were moft frequent in fome
Parts of Germany ^ in which Country alfo, in
the Year there was an Epidemical Head-
Ach , accompanied with a kind of Diftradlion
and Giddinefs, with Swellings behind the
Ears, which deflxoyed great Numbers t.
The like D flemper prevailed again in the
Year 1 > ^ 7, throughout all Germany , though
not fo mortal as that abovemiention d in the
fameYear^ for none died of it but Infants.
The Symptoms were Pains in the Head , Diffi¬
culty of Breathing , and Hoarfenefs in the be¬
ginning $ afterwards Shivering , a Fever , and
fo violent a Cough , that it brought on a Dan¬
ger if Suffocating: at firft the Cough was dry,
without Spitting * but after' the feventh , or
fourteenth Day, the Spittle was much and viffi
cid , tho fome had it light and frothy. As the
* Sennert. de Feb. Mai.
f Holler. Coalmen, m Coac. Hipp«
Spitting
*
1
( II )
Spitting inert afed, the Cough and Difficulty of
Breathing lefTened. In all Stages of the Dii-
eale, there was Weaknefs, IVearinefs , and Want
of Appetite, together with Inquietude , Faint -
nefs , and Watching , by reafon of the vehement
Cough 5 fome were troubled with a Loofenefs 9
others with Sweating, towards the end L It
raged only at one time of the Year, and feized
on all alike, without diftindfion.
In the Cure of this, neither Blood-letting , C#r*.
nor Purging , nor Ale xiphar macks were found
of any fervice ^ but Armoniac , taken in
any Form, proved beneficial to appeafe the
Cough, if joined to things that promote Ex *
peroration : Broths , and moift Food was bet¬
ter than attenuating ^ for the former help'd
their Spitting.
Wierus + informs, usth at in 15:64, an Epidcmz- Epidemi¬
cal Difeafe afflicted Mankind, which was pre«- caiDifeafe^
ceded by the Small-Pox and Aleajles-, he fays
it proved very fatal, depopulating Towns and
Cities ^ of which Conftantitople , Alexandria ,
Leyden, London , Datitzick , Vienna , Cologn , and
the whole Tradt of the Upper Rhine , even unto
Bajil , were fufficient Teftimonies. In the
Winter, in the Lower Rhine, People had Gta-
dnloiis Tumours on the outfide of the Neck 5 in
the Summer following, f^uivjies, dangerous,
and of fhort Duration : The Contagion of its
Malignity equalled the molt direful Peftilence j
fome it deftroyed in one Day, others in two,
three, four, fome few in feven , thofe that
paffed the eighth Day, efcaped.
The Sick were firft taken with a Vomiting , Symptom*
then a Swelling of the Tongue, afterwards Lois
* Valler in Appen. Loc.Com. cap. 2,
f Lib. Obfer. Med. rar.
D
of
( 11 )
of Speech , and great Difficulty of fwallowing any
thing in a liquid ; much more in a folid Form *
after which, Suffiocation foon followed. No¬
thing extraordinary appeared on the outfide
of the Neck. Our Author fays, that inward¬
ly there was a continued Defluxion of a viru¬
lent Humour , which occafioned a Phrenxy . Some¬
times the Difeafe, inftead of the Fauces , would
feize the Pleura , or Lungs ^ whence deadly
Pleurijies and Penpneiwionia\ would follow.
As to the Cure, Evacuations and Blood-letting
were found to be dangerous ^ at leaf! the lat¬
ter was not fo fuccefsful as in the Year en-
fuing, before taken notice of. Our Author
fays, he made ufe of Medicines to ftrengthen
the lower Parts againft the Defluxion, to
break the Force of the Poifon, and to apply
to the Part affected, but does not fpecify
them ♦, in the room of which, I fhall pro¬
duce feveral Prefervatives , that were made
ufe of, and collected that Year by eminent
Physicians.
Bohemias Y Prefervative Electuary.
Take Myrrh , Aloes , Saffron^ Bone of a Stags
Heart white Dittany , of each two Scru¬
ples and a half ^ white Ginger half an
Ounce- Camphire a Dram and a half ^ Tor -
mentil-Root an Ounce and two Scruples $
the Roots of Snakeweed and Pimpernel , of
each a Scruple $ Zedoary two Ounces and
two Scruples ; Venice-7 rcacle, Mithridate ,
of each three Ounces. "With a fuffleient
Quantity of a Pejiilential Water make an
EleBtiary , of which take the quantity of
* Matthiolus commands this miphti/y y hut whether jufUy or
910) I know rot,
a Hazle-Nut in a Morning for a Prefer -
native *, but if infedted, a Dram.
Cafmerus’j Excellent Preservative FleCluary Family
for Families . Preferva-
Take Leaves of i?j/£ dry’d and powder’d, a
Handful- of the fame, half a Hand¬
ful } Pimpernel- Foot dry’d and bruifed, an
Ounce and a half • Gentian a Dram * Grr-
damoms half an Ounce ; Juniper- Berries an
Ounce •, Kernels of frejh Walnuts , an
Ounce ; Laurel-Berries, the Out/ide be¬
ing taken off, half an Ounce $ Snakeweed
two Drains $ Tormentil-Root two Drams
and a half j prepared Bole Armoniac half
an Ounce. Thefe being bruifed and re¬
duced to a Powder, add an Ounce of Ve¬
nice Treacle mix’d with half an Ounce of
Vinegar of Rofes , and let them again be
mixed and beaten in a Mortar. Take
the quantity of a Hazle-Nut four Hours
before Dinner.
Preferv alive Pills . P/77/.
Take Leaves of Water-Gerfnander a Dram
and a half • the Tops of le/Jer Centaury,
Troches of Agarick , be ft Aloes , of each a
Dram $ Tops cf Maudlin , Worm feed , Z?o-
Coriander- Seed, Anif e-Seed. , Cloves , of
each a Dram and 1 2 Grains *, calcined
Harts-Horn , white Amber , Seeds of aSor-
rel, of each half a Dram. Let all be
powder’d by themfelves, and afterwards
fprinkled with the Juice of Oranges mix’d
with the lharpeft Vinegar and Rofe -
Water in equal parts 5 then dry them9
and repeat the fpi inkling feven times : at
laft add Saffron twelve Grains Musk,
D 2 Amber ,
( H )
'Amber , of each ten Grains •, with Syrup
of Oranges make a Mafs of Pills .
^ Prefervaiive Infnjion.
Take Bole Armoniac, Sealed Earth, both pre¬
pared with Rofe~ Water and Vinegar, of
each fix Ounces $ Roots of white Dittany ,
Pimpernel , Tormentil , Valerian, Zedoary ?
Gentian, of each two Ounces $ Roots of
Angelica, four Ounces 5 Betony, Scabious ,
Cardans BeneJi&ns, of each two Handfuls.
Let the Herbs and Roots be wafhed in
White-Wine, afterwards diced and in¬
filled in Vinegar and diftill d Wine, of
each fix Pints. To this Infufion add of
old Venice- Treacle a Pound. Dofe for Old
Men two Ounces, for the Young an Ounce
and a half.
I might add feveral more, but it would
carry me beyond my Deffgn, without giving
any Light into the Nature of the Diftemper *
for we have no Account of the Succefs of thefe
lad: mentioned Prefcriptions, tho’ it's certain
they were much efteemed, and in fome cafes
were probably of fervice : I fhall therefore
only add one other made ufe of by a Canon of
Lorain, which he made a great deal of Money
of, but was at length, fa/s my Author, pur-
chafed by a certain Prince at a great Price.
Take Galen s * Cordial Power, Sealed Earth,
of each a Dram ^ of Bole Armoniac half
an
a.- _ , _ _ i i , ^ 1. , . . •
* Species Letitiae ■Galeni, or Pulvis Letificans Galeni,
under which Pities you will pud it in mojl Diipenfatories,
which take as follows :
Take cf Cloved Bafil-Seeds, of Saffron, Zedoary, yellow
Sanders, Cloves, Citron-Peels, Galangals, Mace,
Nutmegs,
( *5 )
an Ounce ^ of Venice^Treade three Oun¬
ces $ Conferve of Rofes , Barrage , Buglofs ,
of each an Ounce . Syrup of Violets as
much as is fufficient to make an EleBuary.
The next Peftilential Diftemper I fhall takeHun
notice of, is the Hnngaric Difeafe, call ’d in
Latin, Morbus Hurigaricus and Lues Pannonica . '
It began in the Year 15:66 a tComorra^ and
increafed at Gewer in Hungary , where the
Ghriftian Powers were afiembled under Maxi-
wili an II. againft the Turks . When the Sol¬
diers were disbanded, they diftri bated the
Contagion over aim oft all Europe, but chiefly
at Vienna , through which they moft of them
paft. They fo infeded the Families where
they lay, and died fo faft themfelves, that
the Streets were foon filled with dead Bodies,
which contributed very much to fpread the
Contagion .
Tho’ this was fuppofed by J or Ramis * and
others to be the firft Appearance of this Di/L
eafe, yet Langius t, who was prefent at an
Expedition againft the Turks fome Years be¬
fore, defcribes a Diftemper which raged in
the Emperor s Army, and which ]| Sennertus
imagined to be the fame we are now fpeaking
Nutmegs, Styrax, of each two Drams and a half ; Ivory
Rafpings, Ariifeeds, Thyme, Dodder of Thyme, Bone
of a Stag’s Heart, Pearls, of each a Dram ; Amber-
greafe, Musk, Leaves of Gold and Silver, of each a
Scruple: make a Powder.
You have this in the new Edition of the London Dilpenfa-
tory , with the addition of half a Dram of Pearls and Camphire ,
and only half the Quantity of Gold and Silver.
* Cap. 19. de Peft. Phaenom.
t Epift. 4. Par. 1. in Cur. Cauf.
li Senner.de Morbo Ungarico.
/C of.
( *6 )
of. And if fo, I wonder he did not obferve
that the fame Author mentions it as having
appear'd feveral times before : take Lavgins s
own Words * c This, fays he, is the Difeafe
c which in the Autumnal Scafon has lately fo
c often fubdued the Soldiers in Hungary , and
c which raged fo popularly amorigft the Bor-
£ derers upon the Rhine
Symptoms, The Symptoms of this Difeafe in the Year
above-mentioned were as follow t. About
three or four of the clock in the Afternoon it
began with Cold and Shivering, about a Quar¬
ter of an Hour after Heat fucceeaed, which
lafted the following Days. Their chief Com-
.plaint was of a Pain in the Head ^ they would
alfo point with their Finger to that part of
their Breaft directly again# the Orifice of
their Stomach •, the Outfide was hard, and
would not abide to be touched : the fiift Days
they had an unquenchable Thirft • the fecond
Day, or at fartheft the third, they grew de¬
lirious, which lafted a considerable time :
they grew worfe about Evening, and in the
Night the Difeafe recovered lirength $ the
Tongue was dry, the Lips chopt ; fome fpit
Blood, others had a Critical Loofenefs. Deaf-
nefis was a Sign of Recovery; Swellings be¬
hind the Ears were frequent : The worft Crijis
was Tubercles on the Top of the Foot, which
being open'd, fpread themfelves, and after¬
wards being neglected, a Mortification en-
fued. Some recovered on the fourteenth Day,
others on the twentieth, the/ but few ^ all
* 4 Hie eft ille Morbus qui Autumni tempore in Pan-
i nonia Milites prseteritis annis toties debellavit, & ere-
4 bro populatim in Rheni Accoias fsevit.’
t Jordan, de Peft. Ph^nom.
who
( 2-7 )
who did not abftain from Wine perifhed. All
had Spots like Flea-bitivgs, fome bigger, fome
lefs, chiefly on their Breafi: and about their
Back-Bone, fome all over their Bodies, fome
on their Should: rs.
Some think that the grofs Hungarian Air, Caufe^
the Filth of the Camp, their eating great
Quantities of Fiji) and grofs Beef, their drink¬
ing unwholefome Water, and Hungarian Wine
too immoderately, gave Rife to this Diftem-
per.
The Havock that this Difeafe made, caufed Cure.
various Remedies to be invented : Some took
the White of one Egg, or more, and having
beaten it into Froth, would add half a Dram
or a Dram of Saffron in Powder, and drink it
in two Ounces of Spirit of Wine or Brandy,
and then wafhed their Mouths with the fame,
rubbing their Gums and Tongue till the Blood
carnet this Method was fometimes repeated in
the Evening, never oftener.
The following, fays Jordanus , has an Au¬
thor of greater Fame, who ufed it with good
Succefs ; He took twenty Leaves of the greater
Houjleek , and carefully prefs’d out the Juice,
to which he added a Scruple of Sal Armoniac 9
or a little Camphirc, with a Pint and a half of
Spring-Water $ which he gave to the Sick to
drink cold at pleafure, adding fometimes a
little Powder of the Florentine Orris .
The Hungarians take Lovage newly digged
up, and walh and beat it with Blog’s Greafe
freed from Films and wafhed cold} then fhave
their Heads, and anoint them with this Mix¬
ture : afterwards they take a large Linen
Cloth dipped in Wine or Brandy, and cover
the Sick all over, who being laid down in his
Bed, is caufed to fweat plentifully, not with¬
out
i
( 18 ) -
out Pain. Befides, they take Garlick fteeped
in Vinegar , and rub the Balls of their Hands
and Soals of their Feet very hard, thinking
to divert the Difeafe, tiling nothing befides.
The Regular Phyjicians firft ufed gentle Eva¬
cuations •, for which Intention they chiefly
commend Agarick in Variety of Forms •, of
which take the following, as grateful as any:
Take of Pulp of Tamarinds two Drams 7
Mama and Cajjia , each three Drams*, Tro¬
ches of Agarick , Rhubarb , of each a Scru¬
ple ^ with Syrup of andSwgtfr,
nertus fays a Bolus mud: be made : but it
mult be confefsM it will be the largeft I
have met with. The following is more
agreeable to that Form
Take of Troches of Agarick four Scruples •
Oxymel flniple, Conferve of Rofes0 of each
a little- Sugar as much asfufficient: make
a Bole ,
The Troches of Agarick you’ll find in any
Edition of the London Difpenfatory, and there¬
fore needs not to be repeated here.
Blood-letting was alfo prefcribed the fir ft or
fecond Day, but after that was thought dan¬
gerous: For Diet they ufed tart things, fuch
as four Grapes and Pomegranates . Some reljFd
much upon the following Prefcription :
Take Venice-Treacle , Mithridate, of each
three Ounces • Zedoary7 an Ounce ; white
Ginger , half an Ounce ^ of the Roots of
Torment il, Snakeweed , Pimpernel7each three
Drams, , Camphire two Drams , Myrrh ,
Saffron , Bone of a Staffs Heart , Dittany ,
of each two Scruples and a half.
They
( *9 )
They ufed to take a finall Quantity diffol *
ved in equal Parts of Water and Vinegar : which
way of taking prefnppofes the Ingredients to
be powder d and mix'd with the Treacle and
Miihridate , tho not mention'd by our Author.
There were feme that only ufed to give Ze-
doary in fome Cordial Water with Succefs.
Others gave the diftilfd Water or DeCo&ion
of Vervain Morning and Evening till the Dif-
eafe was conquered.
For Drink they had Mixtures of a Decoc¬
tion of Earley or Hart s-horn, and Juice of Pome¬
granates or Citrons 3 or Spirit of Vit/iol , at
pleafure.
Scb rot eras, ProfeRor of Medicine in the
Univerjity of Jena in Germany , when this Dif-
eafe was rife, preferibed the following Prefer - Ptefetva-
. * „ fives,
natives*
A Prefer native Powder* Powder*
Take of Zedoary Roots, of white Dittany ,
Gentian , Leaves of Water -Germander , Car-
duns BenedittiiSj Sorrel , of each alike ,
make a Powder. Dofe a Dram in a Morn¬
ing failing in Car duns Benedichis Water,
or in the Winter in White-Wine .
A Preservative EUSuary for poor Women with Electuary.
Child.
Take of Torment ii-Roots and Elecampane -
Root } each fix Drams ^ Anife and Car away-
Seeds (of each an Ounce and a half : with
clarified Honey make an Ele&uary.
A Prefervative Elixir. Elixir .
Take cinnamon an Ounce Rofemary , Wood-
Sorrel, Water-Germander , of each half a
Handful, Angelica-Root , Red Rofes, Lig -
E num
JE Uftufiry*
( ?0 )
mm Aloes, of each a Dram 5 yellow Sanders,
half a Dram Mace, of both forts of Car*
damoms , Cloves, Seeds of Sorrel, Carduus
Beneditfus, Citrons, of each a Scruple *,
Mush, eight Grains ^ redified Spirit
of Wine xxii Ounces : let them be al-
moft continually fhaked for fifteen Days
in a Gl&fs Yefiel clofe hopp'd ^ then
flrrain, and add Syrup of Citron-Peels,
Marmalade of fiances, of each two Oun¬
ces and a half.
A Prcfervative Nnt-Ele&uary.
Take twenty Walnuts *, twenty “five Figs of
long and round Biithwort, an Ounce and
a half-, white Dittany ♦ Roots of Tormen*
til and Pimpernel, of each two Drams and
a half ^ Leaves of Wormwood 9 Rue, Sca¬
bious, Afarabacca, of each a Handful ,
Bay-berries, Citron-Peels, GAangals, Mace,
pf each a Dram *, Borrage-Flowers, two
Drams ^ Bone of a Stag s Heart, Myrrh ,
of each a Dram ^ clarified Honey, a fuffi-
cient Quantity to make an Eleduary, of
which the quantity of a Chejhut is to be
taken every Morning.
I fjiall conclude what I have to fay upon
this Diftemper, with obferving, that * Cor -
vax thinks they are guilty of very great Er¬
rors who do not attempt the Cure of it with
proper Evacuations and Blood-letting, rather
than Sweating 5 for, fays he, if we obferve
Nature, we ihall find that (lie often gets rid
of her Enemy by a Hemorrhage of the Nofe,
by Stool, by Urine, and Abfcejjes , and but feD
(lorn by Sweat .
^ ' ' _ _
* ConC JVled. Enchirid. lib. z. cap. 9.
In
( )
In the Y 'ears 15:96 and 1 J 97, a Diftemper i 59^>
was very rife in the Diocefs of Colvgn , Weft- l59i>F*~
phalia , the Counties Watted , and Wittenftein fr(:on~
and Hejfte , which * Sennertus calls Febris ma¬
ligna cum Spaftmo , that is, a malignant Fever
with Convulfons $ tho he himfelf fays, it was
fometimes with and fometimes without a Fever.
It begun with Twitching and Numbnefs in Symptoms*
the Hands and Feet, fometimes on one fide
fometimes on both ^ afterwards it convulfed
their Fingers and Toes, and crept by degrees
up their Arms and Legs, till at length it
feized their whole Bodies * and the Sick was
either rolled up like a Hedgehog, or lay
ftretched out at full length without Motion*
Thefe Convulsions were attended with violent
Pains, which forced Cries and Shrieks from
the Sick. It would take feme unawares at the
Table, and, as it were, ftrike Knives and
Spoons out of their Hands. It would attack
others at Plough , or about any common JBuil-
nefs, without any previous Notice. Some
alfo would be feized with Vomiting at fir ft.
The Sick would remain Teveral Days in the
Condition above defcribed ^ yea, fometimes
whole Weeks without having their Heads mo-
lelfed ^ and, moreover, not at all, if fit Re¬
medies were feafonably given : But if thefe
were neglected, it advanced to the Head $
the Falling- Si chiefs fucceedcd • after a Fit of
which, the Sick would lie as if they were
dead for fix or eight Hours. It render d fome
ftu fid or foolijh, fome lethargick , others deli¬
rious ^ fome would remain fo four Days, others
longer , and when they recovered, it was
with Deaf refs , or Weaknefs of the Eyes, if
* De Febre Malig. cum Spafrn*
E 2
not
Caufe*
f
Care*
c ji )
not the Palfy, When the Fit was over, they
were all infatiably hungry, greedily devour¬
ing Victuals of all forts *, to which a Loofenefs
would fucceed $ and the more fparingly they
ate, the greater it was. Some had their Feet
and Hands fwelfd, others had Tubercles full
of a feroits Humour. They never fweated.
Experience plainly {hewed that this Difeafe
was contagious ^ for thofe that were conver-
fant with the Sick, feldom or never efcaped
free, tho the Contagion did not prefently ap¬
pear : for fome were ill of it, tho not even
till twelve Months after.
This Difeafe was hard to cure , for thofe
that were Tpileptick , had now and then a
Touch of it ever after : Thofe that were ftu-
pid, remain'd fo till Death, without ever re¬
covering their former Vigour of Mind. And
tho fome lived fifteen Years after their Reco¬
very, yet every Year, in December and Ja~
nuary , they perceiv’d fomething of the Dif¬
eafe.
The Reader may ohferve, that I fay little
or nothing of what Phyficians call the proxi¬
mate Caufes of thefe Diftempers 5 and there¬
fore when I talk of Caufes, I muft be under-
flood to mean what is called the Procat ar tick
Caufe : In this Senfe the Dearth that was in
thefe Parts, which obliged Men to eat un-
wholefome Food, may be faid to be the Caufe
of this Difeafe.
The Manner of Cure you fhall have from
the Method of the Phyficians of the Univer-
flty of Marpurg in Germany : Firfi: they gave
an Ounce of the following purging Ele&uary,
and four Hours after, Broth , wherein Rojema-
ry , wild Thyme , Sage, and Savory were boiled $
this they repeated thrice.
Take ’
Take of Diaphscnicon, four Ounces * Electua¬
ry of the Juice of Rofes , two Ounces 5
Powder of HermodaBils , white lurbith.
Spurge, cleaned and cor re died, of each a
Dram * Diagrydium , Caff or , of each two
Scruples * Cojhnary , Ginger , Cloves , of each
a Scruple* Seeds of Rue and Cummin, Saf¬
fron , of each half a Scruple * with Syrup
of Rofes folutive make an Eledtuary.
The Eledhiary of the Juice of Rofes you will
find in the new London Li fpenf at oryy theDia *
pb&nicon in the old.
After the Purgation was ended, for fix Days
after the Sick took of the following Powder
againft ConvuMons.
Take of Roots of Swallow-wort, Elecampane ,
Devils Bit , Clove July-F lowers, Peony, . of
each an Ounce and a half * Bay* Berries,
an Ounce * Tops of Sage , jp/Zi Thyme,
Rofemary Flowers , of each two Drams *
Species Diamofchu dulcis , Species Pliris Ar-
chorticon , and Dianthus , of each a Dram
and a half. Make a Powder.
The Species PI r. Arch .if you pleafe, you may
fee in the Auguftan Uifpenfitory-, the Dianthus
is in the new Edition of the London one * but
the Diamofchu is only in the old.
The Day after either of the Quarters of the
Moon, they again took a Dole of the Purging
Elecluary , and then the Powder again for fix
Days more, and then again the purging Elec¬
tuary, obferving the Pbafes of the Moon for a
Month. Afterwards every Month, the Day
before the new Moon, but efpecially in De¬
cember and January , they took a Dram of the
Powder
\
Spotted Fe¬
ver*
(34 )
Powder againft Convulflons. Their Drink
was medicated with Roots of E ecampane, Pe~
city , Sage, Rue , Jumper-Berries.
They ordered Flowers of Lavender and Prim -
rofes , Betony , Cajlor , to be ffeeped
in Spirit of Wine* with which their Limbs
were fuppled after they had been rubbed with
a hot Linnen Cloth. If the Convulfions of the
Feet were vehement, they were to be wafh’ d
in Lotions made of Betony, wild Thyme, Ca¬
momile Flowers and Frimrofes .
In the Time of the Fit they made ufe of
the Infufion and Linnen Cloth before men¬
tioned *, but if that did nor do, the Limb was
bound hard till the Convulfion ceafed. They
alfo at the fame time exhibited to the Sick a
Dram of the Powder, or half an Ounce of the
following Antidote againft Convulfions.
Take of Peony-Roots, of Mijletoe, each two
Ounces *, Cajlor, Scge 9 of each an Ounce *
Bay-Berries, Matt s Skull prepared, of each
two Drams *, Venice-Treacle , Mithriiate,
of each a Pound ^ clarified Honey, two
Pound ; make an Ele&uary.
The Day following they took half an Ounce
of the Purging EleSuary , and continued the
Cure as before.
I cannot perfuade myfelf to pafs by that
Diftemper called in England the Spotted Fever,
becaufe * Fracajlorius mentions it as a new
Difeafe, which as he imagined made its firft
appearance in Italy in the Year and re¬
turn’d 1528, and thought it came nearer to
the Nature of Malignant than Pcjlilential Fe -
* bib, a. cap, 6, 7, de Contag. Morb,
vers :
• ( 35 )
vers : But Y Lavgius cenfures him for it, and
not only denies that this is a new Diftemper,
but alfo affirms that all others which are faid
to be fo, are no more than old ones revived,
which had lain dormant for fome time.
This Difeafc is contagions , but not quickly Contagious,
fo, nor at a diftance- but only by touching of
the Sick. It was fo mild when any body was
fir ft taken, that the Sick would fcarcely ad¬
mit a Phyfician, and the Phyficians them-
felves were not feldom deceived with it.
But after a while the Signs of a malignant Symptoms.
Fever began to difcover themfelves ; The
Heat, indeed, was not fenfbly great, but the
Perturbation which the Sick felt throughout
his whole Body was very evident, which was
attended with a great Wearinefs like that of a
Perfon tired. The Sick lay fupine in their
Bed, their Heads were heavy, their Senfes
dull, and after the fourth or feventh Day
they began to talk wildly and much, their
Eyes being red and fiery. At firft their Urine
was wbitijh, afterwards red and troubled : The
Pulfe was flow, the Excrements corrupt and
fetid. On the fourth or feventh Day little
red Spots like Elca-bitings began to appear on
their Backs, A ms, and Breafis . They had
little or no Thirfi , their Tongues were foul *
fome were wakeful, others fleepy. Others a-
gain both by turns. This State iafied in fome
tc the feventh Day, in others to the four¬
teenth or longer.
It was fatal to a few Women, to a very few
Old Men, but not one that was a Jew pe¬
ri fhed. Toting Men and Boys had the greateffc
fhare of its ill EfFe&s, and amongfi thofe the
wealthier fort.
* Lib, 2. EpilL 1 5.
If
. (3<S)
If the Sick felt his Strength to fail on a
- Bidden, if after a Crip no Alleviation of the
Symptoms follow'd, if there was a Stoppage
of Urine, if the Spots lay hid, or came out
flowly, or were livid ^ if any or all of thefe
Signs happen'd, the Sick were judged irreco¬
verable : but the contrary, if the contrary
Signs appeared.
As Authors are divided about the proximate
Caufe of this Diftemper, fo they are about its
Cure. Riverius * thinks if you know how to
manage this, you will know how to deal with
the plague and all other PeJHlential Dijlempers ,
and for that reafon only iniifts upon this.
Some are for Evacuations , fome for Alexiphar-
micks , and others for both ^ of this laft fort is
Sentient us , whofe Method of Cure I will pre-
fent you with. Only obferve by the way,
that Langius t fays he himfelf cured three Per¬
rons of this Diftemper only with gentle Gr-
thartich and a proper Diet.
The above-mentioiftd Author advifes fir ft to
loofen the Belly with Syrup of Rofes Joint ive9
Ilifufion of Rhubarb , Cream of Tartar , Extra bl
of Rhubarb , to any of which a little Camphire
may be added, or with the following potion.
Take Roots of Viper-Grafs , half an Ounce ^
Leaves of Sorrel , half a Handful ; Car-
duns BenedUhis , Water Germander , of each
aPugil ^ Leaves of Senna , half an Ounce-
half a Dram of Rhubarb ^ Zedoary , Citron -
Seeds, of each half a Scruple ^ Cinnamon ,
a Scruple ^ of the Cordial Flowers , each a
Pugil. Infufe in a fufficient Quantity of
Water, ftrain and diffolve in it half an
* DeFeb. Pell. f Lib. 2. Epift. 15,
Ounce
( n )
Ounce of Manna $ to which add half an
Ounce of Sy up of Rofes fol, and two
Drops of Spirit of VitiioL
\ l ' '
He leaves Blood-letting to the Judgment
of the Ph'y/ician, but would not have it
meddled with after the fourth Da y : he would
have the Sick be kept in a pretty warm Room,
and make ufe of the following Sudorificks .
Take of the Seeds of Navew , or long Turneps,
a Dram $ of Citron and Cardmis Benedithis
Seeds, each half a Dram 5 Cardmis Bene -
dittus Abater, three or four Ounces: make
an Enniljion ^ to which add Syrup of the
] nice of Water Germander half an Ounce.
Or,
Take Seeds of long Turneps, a Dram 5 Citron
and Ca.rduus Benedi&us Seeds, calcined
Harts-Honi , of each half a Dram $ Bone
of a Stag's Heart , Zedoary , of each a Scru¬
ple : make a Powder, of which give a
Dram in any convenient Vehicle, Or,
Take of Bole Armoniac . fealel Earth , Tor -
vientil- Rooty Roots of Butter-burr, Phnper -
?/c/, Water-Germander , calcined Harts-
Honi prepared, of each a Dram : make a
Powder.
In fhort, he concludes, that whatever is of
ufe in promoting the Small-Pox^ in the Cure of
the Plague and Peftilential Diftempers, will
be of fervice here.
Riverine * propofes to encounter the Fever
with cooling and moijlening Medicines , the fup-
* De Feb. Peft,
F pofed
( )
pofecl putrid State of the Humours with Eva¬
cuating and Alterative , and the malignant Qua¬
lity with Alexipharmicks , or Expellers of
Poifon.
Tho, notwithftanding his firft Intention he
allowed the Ufe of Wine to thofe whofe Tongue
was moift, and who were not thirfty, with
good Succefs : and moreover he fays he did
6z«y this in the Year 1623 at Montpellier, where
after the Siege a Difeafe raged of fo great
Malignity, that it wanted nothing but Buboes
in the Groin to mate it a true Blague *, for
there were not only Wheals and Spots, red,
livid and black, but Swellings behind the Ears
and Carbuncles : it deftroy'd at leaft a third
part of thofe that were feiz7d with it. Thofe
who had an intenfer Fever , whofe Tongues
were dry , rough or black , or who were thirfiy ,
he forbid the Ufe of Wine to.
He afterwards relates an Experiment which
he made upon the following Occaiion. He
obferved that all thofe that had Parotides , or
Swellings behind the Ears, which would ap¬
pear on the ninth or eleventh Day, died in
two days : thefe upon trial would neither
yield to Sudorificks nor Topicks } which caufed
him to think of fome other Method. After
reafoning with himfelf he refolved upon
Blood-letting but being fearful of the Event,
he only ventured upon two Ounces at firft,
and finding the Succefs anfwerable, he or¬
dered fix more to be taken away, which ap¬
peared to be corruj^t 5 the next day he pre¬
ferred a loofening Medicine, which com-
pleated the Cure, and delivered the Sick from
the Confines of Death.
The
<3-
( 39 )
The Summer of the Year 1585 * being hot 158-
and dry, it was fucceeded with a Difevtery or 1^fepery
Bloody Flux of a malignant nature, which
fpread in Germany far and near, and Jafted to
the End of the Autumn. It was obferved
chiefly to infeft Boys^ of whom many died j it
alfo laid hold of a great many more advanced
in Years, but thefe with proper Remedies
moftly recovered. The moft gentle Purgatives
and Clyfters were found profitable: Great num¬
bers alfo made ufe of calcined Har ts- Horn and
Bole Armoniac. Wine was hurtful by reafon
of the Fever. When the Evacuations were too
great, Extratt of Opium was found of fervice.
When the Stools were extremely bilious, and
in great plenty, together with want of Ap¬
petite and Vomiting, there was little Hope
!eft.
Dr. Willis t obferves, that Malignant Fevers Malignant
of late Years have been greater Strangers in Fever,
England than the Plague itfelf • and he faj^s,
the only one that he obferved begun in the
Army in the Year 1649, when Reading was
befieged by the Earl of Ejfex. It took off a
great many of the Earl of Effex* s Army • nor
did it fparethe Ring s, while it was quartered
in and about Oxford: at laft it grew rife a-
mong the Citizens, and infefted the Villages
ten miles round. After the Simmer Soljlice it
raged moft, and the Symptoms grew worfe, in-
fomuch that the Number of thofe that were
well, were fcarce enow to wait on the Sick:
it was moft fatal to the Old and Unhealthy,
tho it took off of Boys, Young Men and Mid¬
dle-aged Perfons, not a few.
•r
* Schenckius Obferv. de Feb. 1 3 1.
t De Febribus.
F 2
At
I
Symptoms*
i
Cave*
\ (40 >
At firfi: it appeared like a putrid Synochust,
and when a Sweat or Loofenefs had feemed to
carry it off, it would prefently gather ftrength
again. Often when the Deflagration of the
Blood had continued for fix or feven Days, it
would remit, and inftead of a Crijis, the adult
Matter was tranflated to the Brain, which
held the Sick a long time, fometimes with
Madnefs , but oftener with Stupidity, great
Weaknefs and convulfive Motions, fo that at
laft they hardly efcaped. About the middle
of the Summer the Signs of a Peftilential DiA
temper began to appear plainly 5 for tho it
was contagious and mortal before, yet now
Spots and Puflules began to appear. Some had
a weak, unequal, irregular Pulfe, without any
great Fever , attended with a fudden Dejection
of Strength . Others, who were taken after
the fame manner, had Spots appeared upon
them, fometimes little and red, fometimes
broad and livid *, and many had Buboes as in
the Plague , fome of whom without any appa¬
rent Fever and without ftruggling died lud~
denly and at unawares, while others would
rage and ftruggle as if under frightful Agonies .
Thofe that eftaped, not having any laudable
Crifes , were affedted with Dullnefs of the Sen-
fes , Tremblings , W'eaknefs of the Limbs and,
Convuliive Motions for a long time.
While the Dog-Days lalted, this Difeafe
was fo fatal, that it was not treated as a le¬
ver*, but as a milder Plague, only with Alexi -
pharmicks . Blood-letting was believed to be
fatal , Vomits and Purgatives were fometimes
ufed, tho not often. But the Cure chiefly de¬
pended on Alexiterials, and promoting a fea-
fonable Sweat. 'Twas now the Countefs of
Kent's
( 4i )
Kent s * Powder began to be in great Efteem in
this Country •, and alfo another of an Afh-
colour, which a certain Perfon who was at
Oxford accidentally, gave with good Succefs,
and fo'd at a great Price. After the Sick had
drank half a Dram of this Powder in any Li¬
quor, they were wont to fall into a great
Sweat, and fo were delivered from the Viru¬
lence of the Diftemper. This Powder, as Dr.
Willis was afterwards inform'd by a Kinfman
of the Man's, was the Powder of a Toad clean-
fed with Salt, and wafhed in good Wine, and
a little calcined in an Earthen Pot. Before
the Autumnal Quarter was ended, the Difeafe
, abated much of its Fury * as fewer were fick
of it, fo alfo more of thofe few that were
iick recovered : till at length the Winter came
on, and the Fever almoft wholly vanifhed,
and the former State of Health return'd, both
in the City and the Country round about it.
Sennertus t takes notice of Fevers of this inland
kind, which appeared in 155*1 and 1580,1580.
which did not only over-run all Europe, but
* The Powder is made as follows :
Take the black Tips of Crabs Claws gathered in June,
Contrayerva-Rcot, of each two Ounces ; Pearls, red
and white Coral, Crabs-Eyes, all ground with the
Juice of Lemons , of each an Ounce ; white Amber and
Chryftal ground very fine in RoJ e-Water and dry d , of
each an Ounce ; Harts-Horn calcined to the greatefi White -
nefs, and ground with the Juice of Citrons well Jhar-
pened with the Spirit of Vitriol and dryd , an Ounce ; Oc¬
cidental Bezoar, Earth of Lemnos, of each an Ounce
and a half ; Cerufs of Antimony, two Ounces ; Am-
bergreafe a Dram and a half ; Musk, half a Scruple :
let all be Well mixed together with Jelly of Vipers Skins
and Harts-Horn, and made with Carduus- Water, and
a little tinged with Saffrop : divide it into little Balls ,
dry carej ully and keep fir XJfe,
i Senn. de Febrijb.j
* » y' '
almoft
1572.
UeBck
Teg Hence ,
I525-
■ ( _
C 4Z )
almoft all the World 3 and again in 1616,
which was preceded by an extraordinary Heat :
he fays it was Epidemical to all Germany , and
at Wittenberg there was not a Houfe that did
not feel the Effects of it, even in fome Houfes
they would be all ill at a time 3 and yet tho3
this was both Contagious and Epidemical , there
was fcarce the fix hundredth died.
Our Author, as well as Willis , lays the
greateft ftrefs upon Sudorijich in the Cure *
and if he advifes other things, it is upon
particular Occafions, and for the Succef s of
them appeals to Experience, Horfiius * com¬
mends Opiates in Malignant Fevers of all forts,
and would have no AlexipharmicJzs compound¬
ed without them.
Platerus t mentions a malignant Fever which
raged at Eajil in 1572, which was chiefly fa¬
tal to Men that were of robuft Conffitiitions,
rarely meddling with Women, the Younger
Sort, or Infants. It feized Men with a hid¬
den Weaknefs, after it had imitated a continual
putrid Fever, and was fatal to moft$ who, be¬
fore their Deaths, had Spots appeared on their
Bodies. There were no Buboes or Carbuncles
found in any. The Intemperate were fooneft
infe&ed. Thofe that it was fatal to, died on
the tenth, eleventh, or twelfth Day, fcarce
any reached the fourteenth 5 thofe that eva¬
ded, were fix Weeks before they entirely re¬
covered 3 and the Fever difappeared in about
half that time.
Montnus , li in his H/loJis Febrium , gives us
an account of a Difeafe, which he calls a Hec-
* Jud. de Chir.Infuf. p. 83. I Obferv, lib.2.
SI Lib. 7. cap. 1.
tick
(
/
( 4 3 )
tick PefUlence , in the Year i£C>, which raged
at Leyden and Vienna $ the Fever was but little,
and the Sick imagined they had none at all.
The PulJ'e was moderate, and the Colour and
Confidence of the l Tine not bad ^ neverthelefs
they all died.
At * Venice , in the Year 1576, there was 15l^*
a Pejlilential Diftempet\ in which fome of the
Sick voided Worms , as well upwards as down¬
wards, and were more difficultly cured than
others^ Carbuncles appeared on foine, but were
neither red nor black, but the Part was much
pained, and the Skin was livid, under which
the Carbuncle was fomething deep. Verjrfew
of thofe efcaped Some that feemed to be re¬
covered for feveral Months, relapfed again ^
yet even fome of thefe were cured. It was
likewife found, that black Spots were worfe
than either Carbuncle or Bubo . Blood-letting
was found to be hurtful * but the Application
of Leeches to the Hemorrhoidal Veins was be¬
neficial. It is alfo worth obferving, that
many who were about the Sick fer twenty
Days, or a Month, and lived with them, and
felt no Damage, would be afterwards feized
with the Difeafe, and die fuddenly. Blood¬
letting was often beneficial, by way of Pre¬
vention, but Lenitives , and Sudorifcks , and A-
lexipharmicks never failed.
* -
Having now gone over the mod: remarkable
Peflilential Diftempers that Authors have ta¬
ken notice of, it will not be amifs to fubjoin
fome Obfervations concerning the Nature of
Con-
* Schenckius Ohf, de Feb, i$tf.
( 44 )
Contagion , which may ferve the better to ex¬
plain the Nature of the Pefiilence itfelf.
Benedittus * a Phyfician of Verona , informs
us, that in the City of Venice , in the time of
the Plague, a Quilt was thrown into a by¬
place, and being fought again feven Years
after, the Servants that found it were imme¬
diately infected with the Plague.
In the Year 1511, when Verona was held
by the Germans, there arofe a Pefiilence,
which deftroy’d ten thoufand Perfons ; and no
lefs than twenty-five Germans were infedted
with one Leather Garment, i Our Author
fays, He himfeif remembers, that when a cer¬
tain Woman brought fome Clothes out of Zea¬
land to Alcmeria, a Town in Germany, and
ha\Ting expofed them without the Walls to the
Sun, fome Children that plaj^ed upon them
were infedted, and all died.
At |1 JitJii nop olis in Italy, after the Pejlilence
had ceaied, fome Cords that were made ufe of
about burying the Dead were thrown behind
a Box in fome part of the Church, which be¬
ing cleanfed, about twenty or thirty Years
after, upon fome particular Occafon, theC<Ws
were again brought to light, which a Servant
took up, as thinking them fit for Bell-Ropes,
and by that means fell into a PeJHlential Fe¬
ver, which infedted others, which was fuo
ceeded by the Death of ten thoufand Perfons.
Forefius ** tells us of a Man that was in¬
fedted by touching a Spiders Web, which oc-
cafioned a Pujhile , and thence the Peftilence 3
* Lib. de Pefte, cap.;,
t Foreft. Schol. ad Obferv. 22. lib, 6, de Feb.
|i Trincavel. lib. 3. Confil. 17.
** Obfer, lib. 6. Obf. 22.
and
( 45 ) ,
arid this, tho there was no Perfon died in the
Houfe fix Months before, and the Houfe had
been cleanfed in all Places but that.
In the.' Year * i ^42, a t Brejlau, 5900 died
of the Plague in twenty-two Weeks time,
which lay hid infomeLinnen 14 Fears, which
being opened at another Place, again fpread
the Infection. * - •
, Some Authors have feemed to reftrain the
Return of the Plague to fome Places to a cer*
tain Number of Years * but this is a mere Fan¬
cy, and contrary to Reafon and Experience.
The Account that Platerus + gives of the Re¬
turn of the Plague to Bajil feven times in fe-
venty Years, feems moii to favour this Opi¬
nion of any thing that I have met with : But
Platerus , with good reafon, afcribes this to the
Confluence of Strangers to that City, amongft
whom infected Perfons might probably come.
It happen’d in England in 1603, and re¬
turn d again, in 16*2 fa in which Year there
died of it 41,319 Perfons, being the fame
Number that were deftroyed in the afore¬
mentioned Year 5 and, what is as remarkable,
they were both faid to begin in the fame
Houfe, and on the fame Day of the Month.
Forty Years after, to wit, in the Year i6df,
began that extraordinary and memorable
Plague , which in a little above a Year killed
100,000 Perfons*, fince which time, which is
nigh 6c Years, we have been fo happy as to
be free from it : which makes it plain, that
there is no Rated Period of its Return, asji Sy¬
denham feemed to intimate.
* Sen. de Feb. f Plater. Obfer. lib. 2.
|| Huncorbem noftrum Britannlcum Peftis vix frequen-
tius, quam poll annorum circiter quadraginta intervalla
fummo Perniciei Vi gore, ac tota furiarum Acie adoriatur.
G Of
( 4<5 )
Of this laft mentioned Plague I need not
fay any thing, becanfe there are Accounts of
it lately publiihed ; and it is not my Defign
to interfere with any body,
I < ! ’ . v '
PART
PART IL
Of the Methods to prevent,
' or cure the Plague.
CANNOT tell how tocalHt the
Unhappinefs of the Phyficians of
the prefent Age, that they treat
of a Diftemper which they them-
- felves never had the Opportunity
of obferving: But this I muft fay, that it
they did not wholly depend on the Fait u
nefs and Abilities of others, they might, with,
fomething more of Certainty, eftablifh a e«
thod of Cure. There would indeed be no
great reafon to fear the Accounts which others
give of the Progrefs of the Difeafe, and the
buccefs of Remedies, if they had not been
Favourers of fome Hypothecs or other, whole
Foundation, to fay no more, is very uncer-
tain. . . . t> •
All that I fhall do therefore in this 1 art, is
to examine the Writings of different Authors
and faithfully relate what they have agreea
to be beneficial-, and which they declare ^
be fo, not from uncertain Gueffes, but from
often-repeated Experiments* ^
G 2
( 48 ) .
. 9ne §reat Property of the Plague, is, that
It is contagions ; which leaves us no room to
doubt of the Exigence of fomething which
has the Effedls of Pofon ; what this is, or
the. Nature of it, has not been fufficiently> ex¬
plain d by Authors. Some have thought it to
be the Eggs of bfeffs ; others a Poifon, of the
Nature of ■Arfenick. ; others again fomething
anting from the Put refaction of a Human Body.
However, this is certain, that it is fomething
very fine and fubtle, and that it will lie
lodged in Clothes, or fuch like things forfe-
veral Years together. ‘
Ve may farther obferve, that Authors ge¬
nerally talk of a PutrrfaSion, or Stagnation of
the. Air, and a Difpofition of the Air to Con¬
tagion , ox clfe Jay they, it cannot be con¬
ceived how the Plague would ever end with¬
out the total Defiruction of the whole Nation
where it raged. But it feems pretty eafy to
me to conceive, how Particles of different Na-
wCbS ni5htnab09ld 111 the Air fucceffi vely
of JhT aC- herrtih/ Corn'l)tioib or Stagnation
f the Air itfelf ; and moreover it may be
2nded° ’ nW ?e Co'r*Pt!o* ^ the Air is
ended, as well as how the Plague would end
helmTaS n0t, ™’pted- A11 that Experience
fielpsus m this Cafe, is, that in the Heat of
»L " S“ m°"
as* ,o berai>i!hi' otmSSg
sr°r„«ia,fc°‘ ,ing 1" ve
efcaped ;
( 49 )
e leaped : Thus * Schenckius tells us of a Child
that flicked two Nurfes, which died of the
Plague, and yet never was infe&ed with it.
And befides, we find, that when the moft:
dreadful Plagues have raged, there has ftill
fome one or another been found hardy enough
to wait on the Sick, without any ill Conse¬
quence. Fallopius + fays, that fome Fellows
that attendee! upon the Sick, in the time of
the Plague, ufed no other Prefervative than
chewing a little Ginger in the Morning, then
drinking fome Wine, and afterwards chewing
Zedoary the reft of the Day. Droetus II, a
French Phyfcian, alfo tells us, that there were
fome Villains condemn'd to Death by the Ma-
giftrates of Lions for propagating the Plague ,
who confeffed when they came to die, that
they ufed no other Method to preferve them-
felves, than the eating of a roafted Walnut .
If fuch a 7iecejjary Predijpojition of the Body
to receive Infection be allowed, as there is all
the Reafon in the World to believe there
fhould, it would be a Matter of the greateft
Moment to know what the cojitrary Difpofition
to that is, and the certain Means how to'pre-
ferve it : But feeing this is at prefen t but
guefs d at, I fhall advance what feems to come
moft near it, and is moft likely, and what is
allowed on all hands to be ferviceable and
that is, To keep the Mind as chearful , and the
Body as healthful as pojjibly we can.
This I take to be the moft certain Preferva¬
tive next to that of flying from the Place
where the plague rages.
t Obferv. deFeb. 149.
J De Bubon. Peftilent. c
tf CohfiL de pefi. cap. 10,
I T . m *» V *■ “
( 5° )
The way to keep the Mind chearful, is not
to be over-anxious about worldly Matters or
the Confequences of Things, and to banifli
from the Mind, as much as may be. Fear , An *
gery Hatred , Revenge , and all violent FaJJions
of what kind foever.
As to keeping the Body healthful, every
one fhould ftudy what is agreeable to his own
Conftitution ^ but a Temperate Diet , Moderate
Exercife , Reading aloud , or Singing and die ar*
Ful Company, may be ferviceable to all.
To which may be added, drinking "Wine or
other ftrong Liquors moderately $ but I except
againft Brandy , and moft difdlled Waters, for
their Effe&s are foon over, and the Dejedion
of Spirits is greater after than before they are
drank.
The Care of Clothing fhould at this time be
more than ever, for fear of hindring Infenfi -
He Perjpiration , or ill other words, for fear of
taking Cold 5 and for the fame Reafon, Violent
Motions and Excrcifes ought to be avoided, as
well as Exceffes of all kinds.
As to the Medicinal Part , different Authors
have recommended different things ; but I
fhall recommend thofe that have had moft Ex¬
perience on their tide.
I do not know whether one Reafon that the
Winter abates the Plague, may not be from
the Quantity of nitrous Particles that abound
in the Air then * for if we may believe Authors,
Nitre has been found beneficial more ways
than one.
Hence there is little Reafon to doubt, but
Nitre or S alt -Pet re diffolved in Vinegar , and
evaporated in an Earthen Pan over a Charcoal
Fire in the middle of a Room, would be of
fervice to purify the Air. And for the fame
pur-
( 5i )
purpofe, ; Rue fteeped in Vinegar , and fuffered
to fume away till the Moifture was chiefly
gone, in the fame manner as before, would
doubtlefs be proper. In either of which, if a
little Camphzre were added, fome think it
would be fo much the better * * for * Camphzre has
the Praifes of moft, upon fuch Occafions.
The following Compofltion is alfo recoin*
mended by an Eminent Author.
Take Nitre , a Pound ^ Sulphur , four Oun¬
ces •, Benzoin and Styra*y as much as you
pleafe : melt together, and form it into
fmall Sticks^ to throw upon burning Coals
when ufed.
, % * * , V ' .
As to Amulets $ ghiickfilver, Arfnick and Toads
are moft remarkable. The afore-mentioned
Droet us gives us an Inftance wherein Quick¬
silver has been found to be fuccefsful hung
about the Neck in a Walnut-Shell.
Some Italian Phyficians thought nothing of
greater Service than Arfnick carried about a
Perfon* and afture us, that not one that did
fo died, as t Piftorius informs us.
Thofe that ufe Toads either bore a hole
through their Heads, and fo hang them about
* Particularly Matthiolus in his Italian Commentary upon
Diofcorides, [peaks thus of ity after he had enumerated federal
°f lt{ Virtues. ‘ Preferva dalle Putrifattioni, 6c imperp
* utilmente fi mettenegli antidoti, che fi fanno contra i
veleni, contra la Pejief 6c contra i morfi de velenoft
€ Animali. Ha in lomma aflai altre Virtu ie quali per
\ brevita lafcio da parte.’ That isy It hinders Putrefac¬
tion, and if mixed with Antidotes, is excellent again#
Toifons , the Pejlile ncey and the Bi tings of Venomous Beafts.
In a word, it has fo many other Virtues, that for brevi¬
ty fake I am forced to omit them. Vifcorp del Matth. nel
L&' Liofcor. p. 8o.
t Lib.de Pe#, pag.34.
their
( n )
their Necks , or make Troches of them, as*
Hejmont 5 or encompafs them with Ifing-glaft,
and fo hang' them as before.
As to my own Opinion of the Matter, I
can only fay, that if thefe, as we are told,
have been ferviceable, 9tis probable they may
be fo again, and I fee no manner of harm in
the Trial : I am apt to think, the Toad will
be the leaf!: faneyd of any of the three.
Before I come to Internal Prefervatives, I
mult take notice of one Caution by the way.
That Perfons with empty Stomachs have been
more apt to receive Infection than others y
which Ihould be carefully avoided by all that
go near the Sick.
EtmuUer * tells us, that Jumper-Berries ,
Myrrh , Zedoary , are worth a thoufand other
Compaction f, if iteeped in good Vinegar , and
taken by way of Prevention. A little FeWce-
Treacle diffolved in Vinegar , and t filtred, is
alfo excellent. You may alfo diffolve a little'
Camphire in Wine, and add to fome Vinegar
at pleafure * for Camphire will hardty diffolve
in Vinegar. Sylvius \\ fays, that when he ufed
to vifit fick Perfons, he only ufed to foak
fome foft Bread in a Spoonful of Wine-Vinegar ,
and ate it in a Morning before he went to fee
them. Some commend Rhenifi Wine or a
Draught of dale Beer in a Morning.
Acid or tart Fruits are alfo faid to be very
good for this Ule, to be eaten fparingly now
and then fuch as Citrons , Granges , Pomegra¬
nates , Currants , Apples } Seen
* EtmuUer. Opera, nbi de Pefte.
t Filtred, that fttjfercd t& rmn as much as mil through'
htvwn Paper .
fl Pag. 275.
• I
I
( n )
I fhould have ohferved before amongft the
Externals, that a Sponge dipt in Vinegar,
and held, to the Noftrils, is of fervice 5 to
which a little Camphire or Myrrh may be added
at pleafure : as alfo that a little Ginger or Ze -
doary Iteeped in Vinegar , and held in the
Mouth or chewed, is very beneficial.
Camphire , as I faid before, ftands recom¬
mended very much in thefe Cafes ; and where
hot things are found ferviceable, the follow¬
ing Compofition may not be improper.
Take Flowers of Sulphur three Drams 5
Myrrh two Drams ^ Aloes a Dram ; Saf¬
fron, Camphire , of each half a Dram :
mix and make a Powder, or with the Pulp
of Citrons make an El e Hilary.
But, according to my Judgment, what I re¬
commended before is moll: proper.
All violent Purges are to be forborn $ for
they, infteadof refrefhing, weaken the Body,
and dilfipate the Spirits: But if it fhould ap¬
pear that there is evident Occafion for fuch
fort of Phyjick , the following Form from Bar~
hette will be proper.
Take choice Rhubarb , a Dram and a half $
Leaves of Senna pick’d, two Drams j Cream
of Tartar , a Dram *, Roots of Viper-grafs ,
half an Ounce 5 Anife- Seeds y half a Dram 5
boil in Carduus BenediHus Water : ftrain,
and to three Ounces of the Colatnre add
Syrup of Succory with Rhubarb^ fix Drams *
Spirit of Salt a little $ Confetfio Alhermt %
a Scruple : mix and make a Draught.
Or this 3
Take^ of Leaves of Senna an Ounce and a
H half-
( 54 )
half 3 Mecbtiacdn , half an Ounce - Zedo-
ary, Citron-Feels, Galangals , of each a
Dram 3 of the Cordial Flowers a Pugil :
pour on a fufficient Quantity of Rbenijb
Wive-, let them hand a day, then Itrain,
of which take four Ounces.
Some number Iff ues amongft the heft fort 6f
Preservatives , amongft which ar eHildanus Ri¬
ve; ties, Horjlins . Lbdanus fays, that his Un¬
cle was at Morocco at a time when 8$ooc died
of the Plague in live Weeks, and he perfuaded
a Jew, who was a Phyjician , to make Iflues,
and they all of them efcaped hut one, who re-
fufed to have one made : and moreover, Lin -
damis himfelf confirms their Serviceablenefs,
and adds, that thofe that have Iflues feel a
pricking Pain in them when they go near the
Infected, which Hodges * alfo confirms.
I have not r^entured to fay any thing by
way of Recommendation of the hotter fort of
Antidotes , becaufe, as Sydenham t ohferves, if
they were not follow d by a Sweat, they
were generally noxious in the laft Plague at
London : therefore with this Caution I fhali
give you one of that fort.
Take Zedoary two Drams :> Wormwood } Dit¬
tany of Crete , of each half a Plandful 3
Water * Germander , Car dims Benedihhts , of
each a Handful 3 Citi on-Peel, half an
Ounce , pimpervel-Root , half an Ounce 3
Lie camp, me -Root, two Drams : let them
be cut into Bits, and tyed up in a Linnen
Cloth, and hung in Wine or Am, of which
a Draught is to be drank after Breakfafi:
or at Dinner.
* Pag. 241. dc Pelte. f Pag. 132.
Some
( 55 )
Some have recommended the Ufe of Abjbr-
bents , filch as Bole Armoniac, Terra SigiUata ,
Pearls, Coral, Crabs-Eyes , C.r abs-Claws , and the
like. Thofe who rely much upon Amulets,
may wear the following, as good as any.
Take white Arfnick , half an Ounce ; Orfi-
mcvt , a Dram and a half 5 Powder of dry &
loads , two Ounces 5 reJ Sanders , a Dram :
with Mucilage of Gz/w Tragacantb make
an Amulet in the ufual Form.
Before I take my leave of Prefervatives , I'll
give you as odd a one as I have read of. Lem-
nhis * fays, his Countrymen, that is, the
Rufticks and meaner fort, take Pieces of Skins,
and Horns , and Bones fomething frefh, and
call: them into the Fire, and fume their Cot-
tages and Huts with them, and fo preferve
themfelves from the Plague. Perhaps this may
help us to account for what Palmarins t affirms
to be true concerning the Leather -Dr effers at
Paris ■: For he fays, that tho1 the Plague was
great, and they lived inthemidft of the City,
vet few of them were infected *, and thinks
the Smell that is about their Houfes kept out
the Plague : but fays, others imagine they are
fo ufed to ill Smells, that the Contagion could
not affedt them *, and adds, that the Cleanfers
of the Streets and Vaults and Hofpital Ser¬
vants laugh at and defpife it.
Lemnius , whom I mention'd juft before,
fays a Garifon that lay in the Caitle of Tour-
nay freed the Town from a Peftilential Diitem*
per, by firing the great Guns Morning and
Night. So much for Prefervatives .
* De Occult. Nat. Mirac. lib. 2. cap. 10.
d De Feb. Peft. cap. 1 5.
H 2
But
( )
But Before 1 come to the Cure of thofe that
are infe&ed, it is proper to fay fomething of
the ufual Signs whereby we may know the
Event of the Difeafe ^ tho' you muft take no
tice by the way, that the moft certain Rule
in this Cafe may fometimes prove fallacious.
Tvogncfiks. If the Buboes or Tumors break out quickly,
and the Symptoms then remit, you may hope
for a good Event. A Plague with Buboes is
the mildeft and leaft dangerous of all 5 that
with Carbuncles is next , but that with Spots is
worft of all. The more Buboes there are, the
better the more Carbuncles , the worfe: Large
f ee Sweating is a good Sign • a cold Sweat is a
bad, as likewife if the Extremities of the
Body are cold, particularly the Nofe. The
Dropping of the Nofe is mortal. Tumors lying
hid, portend Danger. It is a deadly Sign for
Hiccupping to fucceed Buboes. Raving with
fiery Eyes and a dry Tongue is a bad Sign. If
a Carbuncle fucceed a Buboe , it is mortal. Car¬
buncles appearing on the Fingers are dange¬
rous, by reafon of the Tendons. It is better
for Tumors to appear before than after the
Fever. For Tumors to be a little inflamed,
is not very dangerous •, but if a livid Circle
furt ounds them, it is dangerous. If when a
Blijlering PI a fie r is apply d, no Rlifter is
railed, you may fafely fay the Sick will not
recoven A Carbuncle with a Streak of yellow
or red, is dangerous , but if the Streak grows
white without the Decreafe of the Fever,
there is little Hope left. If Buboes in the
Neck, or behind the Ears, bring on Pains of
the i'hroat, and Swallowing is hinder’d, with-
out any notable internal Inflammation 5 the
Sick will fcarce live fifteen or flxteen Hours
longer. A Remarkable Fever without Anxiety
of
A 57 )
of the Heart 9 is lefs dangerous than Anxiety
of the Heart without a Remarkable Fever \
Sometimes it happens that there ar e Carbuncles
on the Eyes, Hands or Stomach , without any
Hopes of Recovery. LiJcewife if Carbuncles
fhould ^ happen on the Urinary Bladder, the
Sick will die in very great Pain.
The chief Aim which Authors have had in Cum
the Cure , has been to throw the Matter of
Contagion out of the Body * which Method
Nature feemsto have fuggefted, in endeavour¬
ing to expel the Poifon, as is evident from
the Buboes and Carbuncles : And for this pur-
pofe they have agreed that Sweating is nioft
proper. And Etmuller would have no Sudani-
jfick CompofiiJon be given without Qamphire •
Of which take the following Forms.
Take of Treacle W : iter lix Drams, or an
Ounce ^ Saffron , about as much as a Pea*
Camphire half a Dram : mix.
To an adult Perfon give all of it, to a
younger half
Another . . '
Take Vevice-Treacle , two Scruples $ Flower
of Sulphur , a Scruple 5 Camphire, fifteen
Grains: mix. Give it all to an infected
Perfon, expecting a Sweat.
N ext to Camphire, Spirit of Hart s-horn given
to a Dram, is accounted excellent $ of which
* Hodges gives an Initance. Ivy-berries given
to a Dram in Wine, has been obferved to be
profitable. In the Management of the Sick
obferve the following Rules.
«
* Pag. 164. de Peftej
I. Tfo
( )
I. The Sweating Medicine is to be repeated
every eight Hours, that the Sick may fweat three
times a day . While there is a Remiffion of the
Sweating, the Sick fliould be fupply’d with
comfortable acid Liquors : if Buboes, Carbun -
des , or Spots appear with forne Eafe, Sweating
is to be continued. Regard is always to be
had to the Strength and Conftitution of the
Sick, as to the Degree of Sweating.
II. The Sick fbould not be fujfered to fleep
while he fweat s . If you find the Sick inclina¬
ble to fleep, dip a Spunge in a little Wine
Vinegar , and hold to, his Nofe *? if a little Cam -
phire has been diffolved in it, it will be better.
III. While the Sick is fweating, take a
fenny Loaf hot out of the Oven, and cut off x
the bottom Cruft $ make a little hole in the
middle, and put in two Drams of Venice Trea¬
cle, and apply it to his Navel. The Loaf is
laid to draw out the Poifon.
IV. If the Sick is inclinable to be very
wakeful, and thence delirious , a little Lauda¬
num fliould be added to the Sudorifick Medicine ?
efpecially in the beginning, that the Symp¬
toms may abate, and after the Sweat is wiped
off, a refreftiing Sleep may follow : But note,
in wiping the Sick you mult take the greateft
Precautions againft the cold Air j and the Lin¬
den that is ufed ihould be hot, and fumed
with. Sul f hit r. Amber, Frankincenfe, or Myrrh.
V. The Plague is fometimes attended with
a Burning Fever ^ and then Venue-Treacle , or
Mithridate, unlefs corrected with Acids, is
not proper.
VI. Acids are never to be omitted : For they
are to be given with the Sweating Medicine
in the Declination of the Sweat, and after
the Sweat is over, to refrelh the Sick. But
#a
( 59 )
on the other hand, you fhould take care al¬
ways to corred the Acids with fomething that
is Sudor iflck .
VII. BiiJlerivgPlaflers are ufedin the Plague
with good Succefs : they may be laid to the
Neck , Shoulders , or Calves of the Legs , and
even to the Buboes too with profit. The fol¬
lowing Compofition was ufed in the great
Plague at London .
Take of Tar five Ounces ^ Galbamim an
Ounce ^ Bees -Wax an Ounce and a half ;
melt them together, and remove them
from the Fire, and then add Powder of
Spanijh Flies an Ounce ; old Teafi , Seeds of
Bijboffs-Weed , of each three Drams ^ Eu~
phorbium a Dram $ add a fufficient Quan¬
tity of Vinegar of Squills • let them be
well mixed and incorporated till thejr are
brought into a Mafs for Plafters.
The Part to which it is apply'd, fhould be
firft rubbed till it is red$ and after the Plaf-
ter is taken off, tiie Sore fhould be kept run¬
ning for fome time : To that end you may ap¬
ply Melilot Plafter fprinkled with Powder of
Spanijb Flies. If an Inflammation fhould fol¬
low, you may apply Colewort Leaves . But you
are not to ufe thefe Plafters to all indifferently,
as where there is Heat or Incontinence of Urine ,
an Inflammation or Ulceration of the Sphin&er
of the Bladder , or where there is bloody Urine ,
or Women are with Child or near Men ft? nation ,
or to very weak Patients, they are not to be
ufed. * .
VIIL In the very beginning of the Difeafe,
a Voinit is fometimes fuccefsful, the Poifon be¬
ing yet in prm’n Viis : But if the Sick is fo
troubled
( 6o )
troubled with Vomiting , that it will not fuffer
him to retain any Medicines, then only cover
him with Clothes, and try to make him fweat
that way ; which will flop his Vomiting, and
put him in a Condition to retain any thing.
IX. Blood-letting moft fay is hurtful, tho
* Sydenham would fain perfuade us to the con¬
trary, and gives us a Catalogue of the Authors
that have voted for it. But Parents 1 tells us,
that in the Year 156?, when the Plague ra¬
ged throughout all France, Charles IX. being
upon a Journey to Bayonne, he diligently en¬
quired of the Physicians and Surgeons how Purg¬
ing and Blood-letting fucceeded, who all an-
fwered with one Voice, that they had ob-
ferved carefully, and all who had Blood taken
away freely, or were purged briskly, thence¬
forward grew worfe, and afterwards died ; and
the reft who ufed only Alexitoials, almoft
all efcaped. I could give other Inftances of
this kind, and feme to the contrary; fo that
all we can conclude from it, is, that th.o Blood¬
letting is generally bad, yet, in fome parti¬
cular kinds of this Diftemper, it may be ufe-
fill
Before I have done with this Part, I will
give you an eafy camphorated Compofition,
faid to be of great Efficacy. _ Take of S ugar-
candy three Drams; white Ginger two Drams 5
Camphire a Dram ; make a Powder : The Dole
a Dram; to be taken in any convenient Vehi¬
cle. As to the comfortable acid Liquors be¬
fore mentioned, they are varioully compound¬
ed of the Ample diftiiled Waters of Sorrel,
Scabious, Roj'es, and the Juices of acid Fruits,
fuch as Otrons, Currants , Raspberries, Mulber-
* Obferv. Med. p*
■j- De Pefte, cap. 24*
nes
( )
rhs and Pomgranates , Syrups of the fame, and
Wine, and a few Drops of the Spirit of Vi¬
triol, which the Compounder muft fo ma¬
nage, as to make them grateful and ageeahle.
To make it cordial, fome add Extrail of Saf¬
fron ; but it muft be only a few Grains ; for
-to be over-hot, is contrary to the Intention :
for which reafon the Compound Waters are
omitted, which are prefcribed in ordinary
Juleps.
I now come to give fopie Rules concerning
the relieving the Symptoms.
In curing Buboes , the Intentions are to
draw out the Poifon, to ripen them, and to
cleanfe and heal them.
To draw out the Poifon, fome make ufe of
Onions roafted , and mixed with white Mu Jlar dr
feed bruifed, and apply it after the manner
of a P lilt ice ^ others, inftead of Mufiardfeed
take Venice -Treacle, efpecially if the Buboes
are painful, which alfo helps to ripen them.
Pryed Toads foa.k’d in Wine are faid to be ve¬
ry ferviceable for this End, if apply d to the
Buboes when they are foftened. Hog s-Greafe ,
mixed with roajied. Onions , has been ufed with
Succefs. Some take the following Pultice to
be very good.
Take white Lilly Roots and Roots of Marfa-
Mallows , of each two Ounces •, Figs n° ^
two or three ^ boil in a fufficient Quan¬
tity of Oil of white Lillies to the Confif-
tence of a Pit It ice, add fine Soot an Ounce $
Vecice-Soap fix Drams-, OH of Frogs two
Drams $ mix and make a Pulthe .
I
When,
( 6l ) ’
When, by fuch means a? thefe, the Buboe
\s ready to be opened, for it is dangerous tp
ftay for a perfect Suppuration, you muft ei¬
ther make ufe of a Lancet , or a Potezitial Cau¬
tery *, or, in the place of both, you may ufe
the following Plafter from Hodges .
Take Bmplaftrum Oxy croc earn three Ounces,
ftrained Galbanum0 Gum Carannay of each
an Ounce ^ Tar two Ounces*, melt them
together, and with Oil of Camomile , pr
Lillies , make a Mafs for Plafter s.
After the Buboe is opened any way, Balfam
of Sulphur with Turpentine muft be ufed mixed
with Unguentiitn Baftlicon and penice-Treacle }
over which put a Plafter of Dzapompholygosy
till the Ulcer be cleanfed and healed.
A Carbuncle being a Mortification begun,
the firft Step towards the Cure, is tp ftop
the fpreading of it} for which purpofe I need
not mention any thing befides Butter of An¬
timony * for if a Circle be made round the Car¬
buncle with this, it will not only hinder its
Progrefs, but caufe the mortified Part to fall
out *, after which the Ulcer may be cleanfed
and healed as that of the Buboe. Some ufe
ftrong Bliftering Plafter s both to Buboes and
Carbuncles , and afterwards heal them as before.
As to any other Symptoms that may arife,
they are feldom fo much attended to, as to
require a particular Cure } nor indeed ought
any thing to be given which interferes with
the main Intention of Cure : for if that goes
on fiiccefsfully, the reft will all vaniftq of
courfe } but if that be interrupted, relieving
a prefent Complaint wjll be but a poor Satis¬
faction. *
P O S T-
( 6i )
* * V 4 ' •
H O5 I have, .in the preceding
Difcourfe, faithfully related
what Authors have recommend*
ed to be of ufe in Peftilen-
tial Dijlempers • yet I would
not be thought to have faid every thing
that is neceffary to be known in order to
manage Perfons afflicted with Difeafes of this
kind 5 nor indeed can any body fay fo much,
as to render the Care and Advice of a Phyfi-
cian unneceffary in fuch Cafes : for according
to the different Seafons of the Year, and the
different Cdnftitiitions of Perfons, Variety of
Methods fhould be taken, which is always
left to the Uilderftanding and Prudence of
Practitioners in prefcribing •, and it would be
happy for People in fuch Circumftances, if
they could have honeft and able Phyficians
to attend upon them. But the Knowledge pf
the State of Things at fuch Times, in other
Countries, and the Account that we have
tranfmitted to us concerning them in our own,
leaves us a great deal to fear, and but a little
to hope in relation to that. Nor can it well
be otherwife, confidering that Phyficians are
obnoxious to Life & ion themfelves, and that
there are v:tff Numbers feiz’d with the Dip
temper at a time. Upon thefe Confiderat ions
every one ought in fome meafure, for fear of
the worft, to be acquainted with the ufual
Methods how to preferve or cure himfelf, or
I ft others,
( «4 )
others, in Cafe of neceffity : for this Reafotf,
I fhall add fomething farther concerning the
Nature of Contagion, and fome general Re¬
marks concerning the Pr event ion and Cure.
The Matter of Contagion , without douht,
confifts of fine and fubtile Particles,of whofe
fpecifick Nature we are wholly ignorant.
Hence it comes to pals, that we can never
be certain a priori , whether any two infetti «
otts Diflempcts are precifely of the fame Na¬
ture ; but where the Symptoms are alike, and
the Effects not very different, we venture to
conclude that their Natures are the famey
and their Caufes not much unlike *, and con.'
fequently that their Cure ought to be the
fame too.
Thefe fulfil* Particles floating in the Air,
may either in breathing pafs down into the
Lungs , or by the Preifiire of the Circumam¬
bient Atjnofphere rufh into the Stomach, and
fo feize upon the Mouth of it, where there
is a coniiderable Plexus of Nerves, or deprave
the Stomach, nr what ever is contained in it*
By either of thefe Ways, it is eafy to con¬
ceive how the Matter of Contagion will reach
the Blood *, where being enter’d, it may bring
on new CoheJionsy either by pricking and
breaking the J mall Globules of theBlood mere¬
ly by the Shape and Figure of its Parts, or by
the Force of Attraction wherewith it may be
endow'd; ivhence a fort of a Fermentation will
naturally arife, attended with a Separation
of the more fluid and vifcid Parts, which we
may call a Coagulation of the Elood. This
State muft infeparably be attended with a
quick, w*eak, and unequal Pulfe, as well from
a want of Secretion of the animal Spirits , as
from the different Fluidity of the Blood as it
pafles
( «5 )
paffes through the Heart. The Blood being
thus differently fluid, the groffer Parts, muft
of neceflity ftagnate in fome of the Capillary
Yeffels, which abounding more or lefs with
the Matter of Contagion, which we cannot
help fuppofing to be of a fharp corroflve Na¬
ture, a violent Inflammation of thofe Parts
will naturally follow •, whence again, a Gan¬
grene and Mortific ation will enfue. If it fall
on the Glands behind the Ears, in the Groin,
or under the Armpits , then they will fwell and
be inflamed, and are called Buboes $ and if it
falls on any other Part of the Body in parti¬
cular, then a Carbuncle arifes : but if it be
thrown upon the whole Surface of the Body
in general, then livid Spots or Wheals are
produced, which are accounted fo deadly.
Befides the Way that I have mention’d,
Perfons may be infeCted, by touching or
wearing Clothes, or other things full of in¬
fectious Particles, which may pafs thro’ the
Pores of the Skin, and fo into the Blood, and
produce the fame Diforders as before.
A Fermentation being thus induced info
the Blood, as was obferved above, and new
Cohejicns confe'quent upon it, we may well
fuppofe the contagious Matter to be aug¬
mented in the fame manner as Yeafl: is in the
Working, ot Fermentation of Malt Liquors 5
which, in the laft Stage of the Difeafe, fly¬
ing off from the inferred Body, the Diftem-
per gains new Strength, and confequently en-*
creafes.
The contagious Particles thus increafing
ad infinitum, let us confider how the Diftem-
per ever can have an End : Now this may be
either by having thefe Particles join’d to
others, which may hinder ..their A&ivity, [as
per*
. .. (66 ) \
perhaps the nitrous Particles in Winter] or by
having them difperfed wide and broad in the
Air ^ dr Mens Bodies may by degree? be fo ufecl
to them* as not to be capable of .being dif-
turbed by them, for fiich the Cafe feems to be
when universal Plagues happen.
Conliant Experience teftifies,that the Win¬
ter will abate the Fury of a pejlilential Dif-
temper *, and that the active Particles of the
Contagion are fome way or other clogg’d, I
think, is beyond difpute and why it may
not be from a Quantity of Particles, which
are thought to be of the Nature of Sal- Nitre 7l
cannot fee * efpecially finceCompofitions with
Gunpowder have been found to be fuccefsfui
in France , in which Powder, Nitre is a chief
Ingredient. And why may not , this be the
Reafon that Tournay was freed from a peftN
lential Diftemper, by the firing of Guns from
the Caffle ? It has been related by one whofe
Veracity I fee no reafon to call in queftion,
let his Skill have been what it will, that
Sal-Nitre was an infallible Prefervative in
the Time of the great Plague of London .
Whether my Reafonings upon thisSubject are
true or falfe, cannot be abfolutely determin’d $
but this I dare venture to fay, that they have
the Face of Probability, and no way difa^
greeable to the Philofophy in vogue * which,
of all, is the mod confentaneous to Reafon.
I cannot blit mention it again, as a Thing
well worth our Obfervation, and deferving a
ftridt Enquiry, why the Force and Violence
of the Diitemper bears a fort of Proportion
to the Seafons of the Year, as you may fee
in the following Account from Mefarla^ * from
the time it began at Vicentia in Italy , to the
Time he wrote his Treatife upon the Plague,
* Meffar. de Peile Tra&.Prim.
*n6i
( <h )
\ 7
jj7 6, Decern, died i In the Lazaretto and
isii,Jariuary - 2
Campo
Mart zo •
February - 5
Feb. -
- - 0
March - 5
March -
I
April - - 8
April -
1 0
May - - 9
May
• - IQ
June - 10
June
3
July - 22
jay -
- IO
Align fl - 1)6
Aug.
- 1 2 I
September 340
Sept. -
“ 303
0 Sober - 29 5;
OSvb.
** - 278
JVovemb . - 7?
JSfovem .
- - 182
December - 9
Decern,
- - 6 0
The Time that it raged molt, as you may
perceive, was in the Autumnal Seafon t parti¬
cularly in the Month of September , and the
Time that it very remarkably encreafed, was
the Month of Align ft: in which part of the
Year, the Conftitution of the Air is more
hot and moift than any other, which may not
only add to the Malignity , and increafe the
Activity of the contagious Particles , as was ob¬
served before $ but by influencing our Bodies
in a particular manner, may difpofe the Blood
and Humours to run into preternatural Cohe -
jions: For by relaxing the Fibres , the Spring
of the Solids will be lefs than is neceflary to
carry on a regular Circulation of the Blood,
in which Life and Health confift: whence
appears the Truth of what I advanc’d before,
T hat to keep the Body in a due Temperament , is
one great , if not the only Preferyative againfi the
Plague. ' '
From this fhort Rationale of this Diftemper
arife very natural Indications of Prevention
and Cure, agreeable both to Re a fon and Ex-
penenee . tJ1L
)
( fig )
The firft Indication of Prevention, Is to chafe
the contagious Particles out of the Air, and to
Jceep it in a right State,
The beft State of the Air appears to be that
which is cold and dry f whence Salt-Pet re
evaporated in a Room with Vinegar, does not
feem the worft Compofition: and the more
fuch fort of Particles abound in the Air, the
better it would probably be to hinder their
Activity, which is equivalent to chafing them
out of the Air. .
The next Indication of Prevention is,, to
keep up the Action of the Solids upon the Fluids
and to hinder the Putrefaction of the Blood
and Humours ; Hence appears the Excellency
of Vinegar , corrected with Stomachicfs , fuch
as Gentian , Lemon-peel , Zedoary , Juniper-bcr -
riesy See . which by a moderately aliringent
Quality brace up the Solids, and help to pre¬
vent irregular Cohefions of the Fluids.
Another Indication is, to hinder contagi*
ms Particles from getting into the Lungs and
Stomach ^ which fhews theUfefulnefs of chew¬
ing Alyrrh , Zedoary , fmoaking Tobacco , fmel-
ling at Rue, Vinegar ,
Again, another Indication is, to hinder the
Accumulation of fordid Humours in the Body,
which fooner difpofesit to infectious Difeafes :
whence is evident the Excellency and Ufe
of Iffues, which, becaufe they have the Ex*
periencc of great Numbers on their fide, and
becaufe they have been fo earneftly recom¬
mended in a Latin Difcourfe before the Col*
ledge of fhyjicians $ I ihall Ihew the making
of them, leit a Surgeon fhould not be at hand,
to thofe that may need them.
To make them, indeed, requires fome Know¬
ledge in Anatomy fo fnould not be attempt*
<ki,
/ • •
( <*9 )
fed, but in cafe of abfolute Neceffity, unlefs
by (kill fill Ferfons. The Place is between
two Mufcles, in feveral Parts of the Body 5
but commonly in the Arm, where, towards
the outfide above the Elbow, by moving
the Arm up and down, a Dent may eafily
be perceived, which is the Place it is to be
made in 5 mark it with Ink, take the Skin up
in your Fingers, and divide it fo far that it
may be big enough to hold a Pea, which you
are to put in, and drefs as ufual 5 or, it may
be made, with a potential Cautery , which is to
be laid to the Place. After there has been
a Plafter laid on, with a Hole in it of
the Bignefs the IfTue is to be ; over this, lay
a Bolfter and another Plafter $ and in about
three Hours Time, more or lefs, take them
ofF, and drefs the hfcharwith JDiapalma twice
a day, that it may the fooner feparate.
Note, You may divide the Skin as above,
either with a Lancet or fharp Pair of Sc i (far s.
It is not feldom that Evils are produc¬
tive of good EfFe&s * which is alfo very of¬
ten experienc'd, by thofe that have running
Sores in fuch calamitous Times, for thefe pre¬
vent Infection, by fupplying the Place of
Ifies.
The only curative Indication _ is to dejlroy
the contagions Particles in, or drive them out of
the Body h which may be partly done by a
Vomit , while the Sick is yet ftrong, and the
Invafion of the Diftemper but very lately
made, which may be known by Jhivering and
trembling , perhaps attended with Cold: But
afterwards, when the Difeafe is confirmed,
and the Blood in a Ferment , they may be ve¬
ry dangerous,, but can be of no Service. For
a Vomit, an Author whom I but lately hinted
K - at,
f
( 7° )
at, prefers two half Drams of white Vitriol,
diilolved in as many Draughts of warm Water,
or rather a Dram diffolved in the firft Draught,
and half a Dram in the fecond h becaufe it
is eajily got , is mild , and leaves an aftrittive
Quality behind it, as well as ftrengthens the
Stomach . He would not have the Patient in
vomiting, to drink above three Pints of Wa¬
ter or PoiTet'drink, at moft.
When the Difeafe is confirm’d, then Sweat¬
ing takes place *, which, when other means
are wanting, maybe managkPby covering the
Sick Well, and fupplying with Sage-Vojfet
Drink pretty hot. But, above all things rnuft
be avoided fiich Medicines which increafe
the inflammatory State of the Blood, as your
hotter fort of things do. When the Spirits
a^e low, in the Time of Sweating, fome
Drops of the Spirit of Haj'ts-Horn may be
u fed, with or without what was recommend¬
ed before ^ or, for want of all, Canary or
Wine of any fort.
For Buboes or Carbuncles , or any Part that
is very much pained, the famous Plafier of
Angelas Sal a is very much recommended by Au¬
thors, for its Excellency inafluaging the Pain,
. and. drawing, out the Puifon • which take as
follows.
Take Gitm} Sagapenum , Ammoniacim , Gab
banian , of each three Ounces ^ boiledTur -
perttine , white Wax, of each four Ounces
and a half • of the Arfettical Magnet fine¬
ly powdered, eighteen Drams *, Powder
of the Boot of Arum , an Ounces make a
Plaiter according to Art.
The Gums fliould be diffolved in firoug
White-Wine Vinegar, and then Brained thro
a
( 71 )
a linen Cloth * and afterwards boiled tip to
their former Confiftence, melt the W ax and
Turpentine together by themfelves ^ take
them off the Fire, and ftir them till they
come to the Confiftence of an Ointment, and
then add the Gums and Arfenical Magnet .
/ -
The Arfenical Magnet is thus made .
Take of white Arfnick , Brim ft one , and crude
Antimony in Powder, each alike ^ put
them in a Vial, cover it with Sand, and
apply Fire till they are melted, and ap¬
pear of a dark red Colour j let it cool,
and keep for ufe.
This lofes its poifonous Nature, as may
be eafily try ’d, by giving fome of it to a Dog.
I could, with very little Labour to myfelf,
have fwelled thefe Sheets with great Num¬
bers of Compactions and Formula's, if it would
have anfwer'd any valuable Purpofe $ but I
have contented myfelf with fuch as have been
often experienc’d, and not very hard to be
compofed $ and have given j^ou a Method not
ver}7" much differing from thofe of the moft
fuccefsful Practitioners : But yet I am frill
willing to hope, that the Vigilance and Care
of the Government, will make any fuch Di¬
rections as thefe unneceflary, by the prevent¬
ing the fpreading of this direful Jjijiemper to
this populous City, or any Part of this Ifland.
N, B. Since this went to the Prefs, I have
met with a French Book, entitled, Les Secrets
du Seigneur Alexis Fiemontois translated from
O * TJ
the
( 7 V/
the Italian, which has the following remark¬
able Pa/Tage in it 5 which take upon its own
Authority.
Un Merveilleux Secret pour prefer ver la
Perfonne de la Pejle, 8c a efte efprouve en
Angleterre de toils les Medicins en icelle
grandPcJle de Tan 1348, qui entrahit quafi toiit
le Monde, et ne s*eft trouve Perfonne qui n’aye
eite preferve de la Peffe, en ufant dudict Secret.
Prens Aloe epatic ou cicotrin, Conelle fine, 8c
Myrrhe de chacum trois drachmes, Clouz de
Girofle, Mads, Lignum Aloe , Majlic , Bole
Armenia de chacun demie Drachme, Toutes
ces chofes foyent bien eftamjiees en un Mor-
tier net, puis ftieflees enfemble 8c apres gar-
dees en un Vaiiieau bien ferre, 8c en mens
toutes les matinees la Pefanteur de deux De-
niers en 1111 demy Yerre du Yin blanc, ou il
7 ^elque pen d’eau, 8c le bois du matin a
Taube du jour.
In Englijf) thus :
An excellentPrefervative again# thePlague ,
which has been experienc'd by all the Phy*
ficians in England, in that great PLgue in the
Year 1348. which, in a manner, invaded the
whole World $ and there was not one infected
that ufed this Secret.
Take Aloes epatic or fuccotrine, Cinnamon >
Myrrh , of each three Drams •, Cloves , Mace ,
Lignum Aloes , Majlic , Bole Armowac , of each
half a Dram-: Beat thefe wrell in a clean Mor¬
tar, mix them together, and keep them in a
Yeffel clofe ftopt for ule. Take everjr Morn¬
ing at break of day, tile Weight of a twoPence,
in half a Glafs of White-wine mixed with a
little Water.
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